Graduate worked as a management consultant 

Four decades after earning his bachelor's degree at the University of Iowa, wearing a black gown and cap with a gold sash, Jim Brewer made his way across the stage to shake Graduate College Dean Amanda Thein's hand with one thought racing through his mind.

"I was reflecting quickly on the path that led me there and how happy I was to have culminated the journey like that."

Brewer’s mother, wife, and children were all in attendance last December at the Master’s Commencement Ceremony at Hancher Auditorium.

His professional journey took him into the business world as a management consultant, where he used technology to help companies efficiently deal with the changing demand and supply of both raw materials and human resources in a free market economy. 

Brewer, of Hawthorn Woods, IL, says using technology to assist businesses was a two-faceted job.

"First of all, I needed to understand what the companies could and could not do within a time frame," Brewer says. "Some companies have very ambitious goals for changing their processes, their technologies, and their workforce, so studying exactly what they want to try to accomplish and then fit it into reasonable time frames was a big part of my job.

"I did estimation and projection work, then had training sessions where we would explain what it was that we saw that could be changed or should be changed. Then we developed projects out of our conversations with the clients."

Mother's advice leads to success

During his retirement phase, Brewer realized he still had vitality and something to give others. Following in his 92-year-old mother, Dr. Judith Finkelstein's footsteps, he enrolled as a master's student in the College of Education Teaching and Learning (STEM Education) Program. His mother is an emeritus professor in early childhood education at the University of Northern Iowa.

"All teachers are students, and all students are ultimately teachers because a lot of education is self-education," says Brewer, who was mentored by Clinical Professor Ted Neal in his master's program. "In switching roles, I was lucky I was put in with instructors and classmates who were very open to exploring ideas. I tried to bring to bear the experiences I had while remaining open to those things that I didn't really know." 

“You must have the right level of humility to realize there is a great amount of learning that has to happen to be a good teacher.”

Brewer is currently teaching on a part-time basis, a role that allows him to put his business acumen and excitement for education into practice.

As he looks for a more permanent role, Brewer reflects on his mother's words of wisdom.

"A few (pieces of advice) are particularly poignant for me. One was to persist," Brewer says. "If you have a goal and you encounter obstacles, hardships, or setbacks along the path toward your goal, you persist. You keep pushing, you keep driving, and you'll get there. You'll find a way through.

"I would say the second thing is to realize people look at life through different lenses for of all kinds of reasons. It could be their income, their racial categorization, their gender. She wanted me to understand that it's important to be empathetic, as those different views of life are just as valid as mine."

This advice was critical for Brewer during his time as a management consultant. It also could be useful for UI graduate students and postdocs who will shortly begin their professional careers.

“You have to gain an understanding and try to learn about the person before setting out to teach or educate them.”

"You have to know your audience well and understand your clients well to be able to be both convincing and credible," Brewer says. 

"If you can reach them using language they understand, using paradigms or examples they understand, you're going to have a lot more success than if you did not. Actually, this approach helps you in every facet of life."