Dean Koker - A Man of Letters and Science

On Teaching and Life

Growing up in Kenosha, Wis., John Koker had no idea what he wanted to do when he grew up, but he did know one thing: he didn't want to teach. But the son of an auto factory worker and a jail cook soon discovered that life doesn't always turn out as planned. Since 2007, he  has  been dean of the College of Letters and Science (COLS) at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He joined the teaching staff at UW Oshkosh in 1991, became the math department chair in 2000, a post he held until he was tapped to be the interim COLS dean in early 2007. In an interview with COLS Special Reports producer Grace Lim, Koker talks about his love for math, the arts and teaching. For more information about the College of Letters and Science Special Reports at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, visit www.uwosh.edu/colsreports.