A Conversation With...
Dr. Johnston Brendel

Q: Where did you grow up and how did you get here, (A&M-CC)?

A: I’m from Williamsburg, Virginia, which is where I lived until 1996. I received a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Virginia Tech, in Communications & General Business. I have a Masters of Education (M.Ed.) that I received from Virginia Commonwealth University. Then I received both my (Ed.S) and my (Ed.D) in Counselor of Education from The College of William and Mary, also in Williamsburg, Virginia. I left Virginia, in August of 1996, after being hired for a job opening at Texas A & M University Corpus Christi and with a specific interest in the new Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC). I got the job, packed up all my stuff and here I am. I maintain licenses as a Professional Counselor (LPC) in both the states of Virginia and Texas. Presently, I’m an Associate Professor in the College of Education, in the Department of Counseling and Coordinator of the School Counseling Program.

Q: What motivates you and has helped you become who you are today?

A: Trying to make a difference is what motivates me. Dissatisfaction with the status quo and the fact that I’m always thinking, that “there’s a better way of doing things.” That’s just the way I was raised, to believe that it is the duty of educated people to use their talents to make the world a better place.

Q: What makes you passionate about your field and teaching students?

A: I’m passionate about watching people grow, develop and change. Seeing people different in class (for the better), on the last day of class versus the first day of class. Being able to run into a student years later and see them have the same motivation that I have; that’s what keeps me passionate about the field I’m in.

Q: What course(s) are your favorite to teach?

A: Multicultural Counseling. This is a course that really looks at diversity and how people are different and how they are the same. Also, I enjoy teaching Strategies of Counseling. This course teaches diagnosis and treatment of the different disorders that hold people back, like depression, anxiety or substance abuse.

Q: What co-curricular activities are you involved in, and how can students become involved with you in those activities?

A: I recently stepped down as Speaker of Faculty Senate and have been on a zillion committees, (he laughs). There are far too many activities for me to list, but I’m on the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), the YMCA Board of Directors, I do a bi-weekly newspaper column and am active in youth issues in this community. Additionally, I do consulting with school districts and businesses about a variety of issues. All a student has to do is contact me regarding their interest.

Q: Outside of TAMUCC, what extracurricular activities are you involved in; what do you do for fun?

A: I like fitness activities. I love to work out, bike, run, read, and gardening. I go to auctions and garage sales. I also like building stuff and doing home renovations. I like to swim and love the beach. I love animals too; I’m always picking up some stray. For the past year I’ve been renovating another fixer-upper – it’s almost finished and then I’ll probably move on to another project!

Q: Who inspired you the most or had the greatest impact during your collegiate experience which directed you to your field of study?

A: That would be two different faculty members. My masters advisor and my dissertation supervisor. They both convinced me that I could do things that I thought were beyond my grasp. I wouldn’t be a college professor today had they both not believed in me.

In the town where I grew up, there was a guy who wanted to be a professional musician. We, his peers, were all amused as we watched him sing in hotel lounges. About 15 years ago, he struck it big, has won a bunch of Grammy's and is hugely successful - I learned a lot by watching him make his dreams become reality (He's Bruce Hornsby).

Q: What is your greatest achievement and whom do you attribute this to?

A: Getting a doctoral degree was a major accomplishment. I can't attribute that to any one person. I’d have to include most of my faculty advisors while working on my degree as well as my family and friends who wouldn’t let me quit. I consider moving to Texas and starting a life here a major accomplishment – I’ll be forever grateful to those that befriended me and served as my guides. I’ve now been here for eight years and while some day I’ll return to the East Coast, it’s been a great ride. My most recent great achievement is a book I have co-edited entitled, “Counseling Multicultural and Diverse Populations” – I’ve always wanted to do a book so it’s the realization of another dream.

Q: What question does the study of Counseling attempt to answer?

A: What holds people back and what is needed for optimal personal growth and development.

Q: Wouldn’t be caught dead wearing?

A: A Speedo