Never Stop Looking Ahead

By Dr. William H. Kraus

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

             

            SMYRNA – I recently asked myself, “What does the future hold? What am I looking forward to?”

            I have been most fortunate throughout my life. I’ve received a great education, served six communities with a total population of approximately 170,000 as city manager over a period of 25 years, and managed more than 20 non-profit associations in the health field and community/residential for another 20 years. I’ve also served as both adjunct and full-time professor in California and Tennessee since 1974. Related to that, I have just completed 15 years of service with Motlow State, beginning at our original Smyrna campus at the Tennessee National Guard here in Smyrna.

            I have always been a very active and enthusiastic “futurist,” welcoming the new, exciting and unpredictable events that will, without doubt, unveil in the days and months ahead. However, as I reach my current age and stage, it has come to my realization that I still see the future through the dreams, hopes and aspirations of our students here at Motlow State. Each class that I have the wonderful opportunity to be a part of has men and women who are just starting out on their individual journeys of life, with great mountains (and sometime valleys) to cross.

Dr. William H. Kraus

            Thus, my passion today is to be able to pass on the “spark of hope, optimism and dedication to excellence” to all of the students I see in class. I try to encourage them not to get bogged down in the details and the little steps that they may experience, but always keep the “eye on the prize.” 

            What better poem could I share than the following that came from the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, written by an 82-year-old man who was dying and accepting the death.

‘If I Had It to Do All Over Again’

"If I had my life to live over, I'd try to make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would limber up. I'd be crazier than I've been on this trip. I know very few things that I would take seriously anymore. I would take more chances. I would take more trips, I would scale more mountains, I would swim more rivers, and I would watch more sunsets. I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans. I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones. 

You see, I was one of those people who lived prophylactically and sensibly and sanely, hour after hour and day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had it to do all over again, I'd have many more of them. In fact, I'd try not to have anything else… just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of my day.

I've been one of those people who never went anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat, and a parachute. If I had to do it all over again, I'd travel lighter, much lighter than I have. I would start barefoot earlier in the spring, and stay that way later in the fall. I would ride more merry-go-rounds, I'd watch more sunrises, and catch more gold rings, and greet more people, and pick more flowers, and dance more often… If I had it to do over again.

But you see, I don’t

Motlow Professor Bill Kraus to Lead Local Homelessness Alliance

        SMYRNA -- Dr. William H. "Bill" Kraus, a longtime political science adjunct faculty member at Motlow State Community College, has been named the executive director of the Housing, Health and Human Services Alliance of Rutherford County.

        His part-time role began on Sept. 1. H3ARC is an umbrella organization that brings together cities, churches and non-profit organizations in Rutherford County to address the needs of the area’s homeless population.

        "Homelessness has two primary components… first to ensure that people who do not have shelter have immediate access to food, housing and emergency medical care,” Krauss said. “Once they are stabilized, efforts are made to find long-term housing, employment and assistance."

        The newly named executive director has been with Motlow since 2005. In 2017, he received the "Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award.”

        "Homelessness is much more than individuals who may be living under bridges,” he added. “It could be a family who is sleeping in their car because they were one paycheck away from losing their home or apartment, and they lost that job."

        Krauss has a lengthy professional background that includes serving as the city manager for a number of California and Tennessee cities and managing non-profit organizations. 

Motlow Smyrna Spotlight: Dr. William (Bill) Kraus

By Emma Sagor

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

         (Born in Cleveland, Ohio... husband to wife Barbara... father to three adult children... grandfather to four grandchildren and one grand dog. I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. William (Bill) Kraus, one of Motlow’s most dedicated professors and advocate for student success. His big heart can be clearly seen, even from first meeting him! Dr. Kraus received his masters and doctorate from the University of Southern California, and a second masters from Occidental College in Los Angeles. Using his learned knowledge, Dr. Kraus teaches here at Motlow State, going above and beyond to not only provide us with the best learning experience and education, but also he goes as far as to give back to his students, even though nothing is owed. With such a heart of gold, I am honored to have been able to take his class last semester and gotten to know and have him as a friend! I am ecstatic to be able to share a glimpse with you into who the wonderful man Bill Kraus truly is!)

Question: Tell me a little about yourself, so our readers can get to know you and what you do here at Motlow?

Answer: “I have been here 13 years as an adjunct professor in political science, as well as teaching First Year Experience. I have also been associated with the Writing Center since 2015, as well as an embed tutor in several English classes. I currently serve on the President’s Leadership Council and was very humbled to receive Adjacent Faculty Member of the Year in 2017. (Out of 400 faculty members across the four campuses, Dr. Kraus received the award in this field.) I also serve as one of two advisors to student government here at the Smyrna campus.”

Question: What made you want to teach in the political science field and in the areas of state and local government?

Answer: “I have been involved in all aspects of government and politics for most of my professional life, including serving as city manager for six California and Tennessee city governments ranging in size from 5,000 to 100,000 citizens; managing a wide range of health, community and professional nonprofit associations on a national state and local basis, which required significant political advocacy on behalf of my occasions; and teaching both on a part-time and full-time basis at a number of colleges and universities since 1974. Having more than 22,000 student subjects, to ‘quote the Kraus humor.’” (If you look at Dr. Kraus' personal email address, you will note he is referred to as “Wild Willy,” a title he earned in his early life as the top rock 'n' roll disk jockey in the state of Hawaii.

Question: What do you like about Motlow?

Answer: “I have been with Motlow State since the time our student body at Smyrna numbered in the hundreds. We did not have a campus, but met in several classrooms at the Tennessee Army National Guard facilities. Throughout this period, I’ve been extraordinary impressed and excited about the overall abilities, dedication and excellence of our students. I have the opportunity to compare them with those men and woman in other colleges that I teach at or have taught at in the past, and I will say without reservation that Motlow students are indeed second to none.”

Question: I heard you say Hawaii. How did you end up all the way over there?

Answer: “I enlisted in the United States Naval Reserves, and my active duty placed me as the public information officer of a naval air station there. I had been in radio as a news director and an announcer throughout my undergrad years, and shortly after arriving in Hawaii, I went to the first radio station in Honolulu listed in the telephone book and asked if they needed any part-time help. After determining that I had the appropriate certification, I was told that I would be on the air in 15 minutes… My new name would be Wild Willy and that I would be working for the top rock station in the state.”

Question: How long did you serve?

Answer: “I served in the reserve for six years, in which two were of active duty, all in the beautiful area of ‘pineapple, sugar cane and surfing.’”

Question: What made you decide to leave the sand and surf and come here to Tennessee?

Answer: “Originally I spent most of my life in California. It was about 15 years ago that we moved to Tennessee, for our daughter (Jennifer Kraus), who has been a news anchor and reporter for Channel 5 for nearly 25 years. Jennifer was having a growing family, and when her second child was born, shortly after he went into a coma and was in critical condition at Vanderbilt. After a long four days and a miracle drug, he came out of the coma and has been fine the rest of the years. However after this traumatic time, Jennifer suggested to my wife and myself that we should live closer as a family and that the house next door to her was coming on the market. To please her, we went to check out the house, and 15 minutes later said we will buy it. The rest is history!”

Question: What brought you here to us at Motlow?

Answer: “Prior to coming to Tennessee and not knowing what I would be doing once we came to the Volunteer State, I sent out resumes and letters of interest to many colleges and universities in the area. I was immediately hired by Vanderbilt University, as well as Austin State, while assuming the position as city manger of Oak Hill (in Davidson County). It was two years later that I got a call from Motlow State replying to my earlier interest… and here I am.”

Question: What advice would you give on being successful in life or in a particular area?

Answer: “Very simply, always be optimistic… happy… look for the best in people and opportunities, and always have a plan B!”

Question: What would you say is your favorite quote?

Answer: (I love how Dr. Kraus put the following... his Writing Center background really shows through with his answer!) “I like to paraphrase Henry Ford’s quote: Coming together is a beginning, working together is progress, and achieving together is success!”

Question: So you mentioned being very active in the political field. How does English tie into that and your work here at the Writing Center?

Answer: “Writing and verbal communications are the book ends of life’s success. If you can verbalize well, and write well, you will be two steps ahead of most. In the Writing Center, I don’t only look for language structure and appropriate grammar, I want to encourage everyone to be creative and share more than just what they read or what they quote.”

(When I asked Dr. Kraus if there was anything else he would like to add, he told me this: “Future... I live day to day, moment to moment and look back at the end of each day and ask myself, did I make the lives of others a little brighter and a little better... most hopefully I can achieve.” I think we could all learn something from these wise words.)

It Seems Like Yesterday...

By Bill Kraus

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

        As we approach the groundbreaking of our third building here at the Smyrna campus, it does seem like yesterday when I began my affiliation with Motlow State Community College. It was in 2005, and I came to the school, which was held on the second floor of the Tennessee National Guard facilities further east of our present school. When I first entered the building, I noticed many Army personnel and found among those on the first floor, a small handful of our students. I am not sure how many classes were being offered at that time, but few, I am sure, and I would imagine that our total student body numbered in the hundreds rather than today's thousands.

        Here it is 13 years later in my "Motlow life," and we are about to add another 80,000-plus square feet in college facilities. Having been through two previous groundbreaking and dedication ceremonies, this is just one more step in our growth and development. The plans and design for the latest in our campus development are beautiful and very impressive.

        However, as I look forward to the opening of this badly needed added facility, I am reminded what makes this school excellent and successful. While the campus physically will be very impressive and indeed an asset for the Town of Smyrna, the true mark of success is the fantastic group of students here, a most responsive staff and leadership, and last, but certainly not least, the very dedicated and committed faculty, both regular and adjunct. The continued growth of our campus, as clearly evidenced by the upcoming groundbreaking of the new building, is a direct result of tremendous hard work that has gone into this college by the "Team."

Dr. William H. "Bill" Kraus, adjunct professor of political science

        We have come a long way from the facilities at the Tennessee National Guard, and I wonder how we will look and be as a college in the next 13 years in 2031. Any guesses or projections?

        Another chapter of Motlow State in Smyrna is unfolding....

State Legislator to Share ‘Special Story’ with Student Government Officers

By Dr. Bill Kraus

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

SMYRNA, Tenn. -- The officers and members of Student Government on the Motlow Smyrna campus will have a special luncheon and meeting with newly elected Tennessee State Rep. Sam Whitson on Oct. 30 (Monday) to "have a conversation" about how and why he decided to become involved in the political process.

Whitson has a most interesting story to share with Motlow’s college "legislators.” He is expected to encourage most, if not all, to become involved in the political process as they individually progress into the future. The lunch/talk will occur at Famous Dave's in Smyrna starting at 12:30 p.m

 

 

Whitson retired from the U.S. Army with the rank of colonel after serving for 26 years in the service. In early 2016, he and other citizens learned that their incumbent state representative was accused of sexually harassing young women who either worked at the Tennessee State Capitol or served as interns.

 Whitson became increasingly concerned as the news media carried more and more negative news stories about his representative. The Williamson County resident decided to "not get mad... just make it well." Facing great odds, Whitson decided to run against the incumbent legislator in the same political party. He went house-to-house, introducing himself and campaigning on the premise that "we in Williamson County can do much, much better in our political representation."

Charges against Whitson’s representative grew in the ensuing months, prompting the Tennessee State Legislature to censure him and the state attorney general to open an investigation. A few weeks later, the incumbent legislator decided not to run for re-election, opening the door for Whitson to win his party's nomination. He won an election victory last November with 72 percent of the vote, the largest plurality of any candidate throughout the State of Tennessee.

         "This is a remarkable example of not just complaining about what may be happening within the political world,” said Dr. Bill Kraus, who serves as a Student Government adviser with professors Nicole Speelman and Stacy Dowd. “It demonstrates a wonderful way to get involved to successfully solve a problem. Rep. Whitson is a fantastic example for our school's student leadership."