For someone whose entire family has called the tiny hamlet of Edesville home for generations, Kent County High School alum Ken Montgomery’s unique journey to become part of the Student Affairs office at UC Berkeley is a story of opportunity, a bit of courage, and the good luck to have developed a 15 year old working relationship with the Vice Chancellor at the University of California’s flagship institution of higher education.
Ken and his boss, Harry Le Grande, stopped by Kent County High School after attending a national conference in Baltimore for university administrators last week, and spent a few minutes talking to the Spy about the challenges of running a small student affairs office with 25,000 undergraduates, coping with tree sitter protests, and their special “work spouse” friendship that begins with their morning drive into work, and sometimes ends late at night as they, and four other colleagues, attempt to manage the equivalent of a small regional city every day.
The video is approximately five minutes long. Extra video by Moni Law. Ken can be reached at [email protected]
Kathleen James-Chakraborty says
Editor,
Congratulations to Ken Montgomery for his career on a vibrant campus whose diversity set a precedent for universities around the country. But the story about the protestors in trees points to a very troubling aspect of Berkeley; I was a professor in the nearby architecture department at the time. The university was spending $150 million to build a facility for football students located right atop an earthquake fault at a time when they were cutting money for every aspect of education. Many students, faculty, neighbours, and the mayor, himself a captain of one of the university’s most successful football squads, were opposed; I personally knew almost no one who would not have preferred to see the money go to keeping tuition fees lower, hiring more faculty, paying faculty better (there was only a .5 % cost of living raise until around 2006, and salaries were slashed in 2009), and buying library books.
Ron Jordan says
Editor,
The story of Ken’s journey is something to be celebrated and emulated for the children and parents that reside in this county, which by the way doesn’t have many avenues of escape to a better life. Far too many people at this present time, and most likely in the future, can’t see there is a future outside of this place.
I hope when I travel this spring to meet both Mr. Montgomery and Le Grande to tell Ken that he is a inspiration for those that are growing up here and hopefully to those that come here. It is so seldom that African-Americans that grew up here come back to share their journey of triumph and celebrate in their upbringing in a place that unfortunately doesn’t celebrate the accomplishments of its former citizens.
The stadium as it is an important point, but it should not overshadow Ken’s story for those that are seeking a story that relevant and uplifting.