Brent Northup

About

I have enjoyed a most diverse and blessed life - inspired by my indomitable mom who earned her college degree at age 76. My journey began with a string fine teachers in Port Angeles, Washington, including Mrs. Clark (1), Mrs. Herzog (3), Mrs. Pennington (4), Mr. Genus (5,6), Mrs. Ruth Olson (8), Mrs. Middleton (10) and Mr. Smith (10). I owe them much. I attended Whitman College because a college adviser suggested I apply somewhere besides just the UW. I had never seen Whitman nor Walla Walla prior to the first day of class. My Whitman years had four mentors who kicked me when I needed to be kicked and put an arm around me when I needed support - William Soper, inspirational philosopher; Thomas Howells, wise professor of English Literature; George Ball, warm-hearted Theologian; and Dean McSloy my grandfatherly debate coach. Soper sent me to Missouri, his alma mater, to study philosophy - a journey intended to end with a doctorate that stopped short when energy ran low during the last lap.From there, angels took over. The headmaster of Kinkaid School, John Cooper, hired me "just to finish out the year" of a fired teacher and then decided to keep me for most of the 1970s; the editor of the Journal-American near Seattle took a chance on me as a film reviewer for $200 a month and kept me for most of the 1980s; then a friend, Kevin Twohy, invited me to apply for the Carroll debate coaching job for "one year only," and I've stayed for 26 years teaching and coaching wonderful students.Along the way I've had a glorious opportunity to coordinate the Irish Times Tour of America, which brings bright and caring Irish debate champions to campuses across the states. I have recently founded Pax Rhetorica: The Carroll College Center for Global Dialogue.My advice: Shape reality to conform to your dreams, rather than adapting your dreams to conform to reality. If you knock on a door long enough, someone will answer - if only because they tire of all your knocking. Dia duit.