Many of you have most likely seen me on campus, and we may even have a class or two together. I’m the “old guy” you’ve seen walking around with a cane and a smile.
Well, my name is Jerrod Gray. I’m a Chickasha native and have lived in the area for most of my life. I grew up in the Chickasha school system and graduated in the 90’s. Then, I went on to work in the oil and gas industry for the next 20+ years. I’m married to another Chickasha native and together we have four amazing children.
Just shy of two years ago, I sustained an injury to my back and have undergone three surgeries with one more (hopefully) to go. This has permanently restricted me from what I could do moving forward.
With no formal training per se, I began exploring going to college to get a degree. However, this left me with the question of what would I go and study? I had somewhat of a background in business. I had been around oil and gas for most of my life. I loved science, particularly physics. Still, I had no idea which direction to go.
After talking with friends and family, my sister suggested I substitute because I would be a great teacher, so that’s what I did. Do you know when you get those “Aha!” moments? Well, that’s what it was like, and I absolutely loved it.
I have always been a mentor/teacher to everyone. My house seems to be where all the kids gather. I have always been willing to take anyone under my wing, and hopefully, I have made lasting impressions on those I’ve been fortunate enough to teach something over the years.
I formulated a plan and decided on mathematics education and physics as my majors. I can see your reaction in my head now: “Yikes! Why on earth would you choose those?” Well, your reaction is exactly the reason why.
I want to change the way students look at math and science. More than that, I want to inspire everyone to achieve their goals, even though they can change over the years. It’s never too late to go after them. All you need is determination and to build a support system that is just that, support. You’ll find that here on campus, in many ways.
That’s a little about myself – just a dad chasing his goals and hopefully inspiring you to go after your goals as well. So, if you see me around campus, feel free to say hello and I’m always glad to help in any way I can. I’ll leave you with two things:
Dad Joke: What’s invisible and smells like bananas?
Answer: Monkey farts!
Dad Tip: Rotating your tires on your vehicle every other oil change helps ensure they wear evenly, so you can get the most use out of them.
Jerrod Gray is a first-year mathematics education and physics major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
