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Geoffrey Gresk, '01

Geoffrey Gresk, '01

After joining the Peace Corps post-graduation, Geoffrey Gresk, ’01 knew there wasn’t much of a chance that he would ever return to the United States for a career. He found his passion abroad and applied for his current position at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS). As the Dean of Students, Gresk is responsible for over 900 children, and is striving to produce an education system that reflects his academic experiences at GVSU.

Gresk’s decision to attend Grand Valley was based on its ideal distance from his hometown in Wheaton, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. Prior to the start of his college education, he was torn between several programs, all of which were offered at GVSU. This made Gresk’s school of choice even easier. During his time at the university, Gresk participated in the backpacking club, Alternative Spring Breaks, and was a member of the psychology honor society. He completed his degree in Psychology in 2001.

“The themes in my life since GVSU have been education and service abroad,” Gresk explained when describing his journey after college.

Gresk became a Peace Corps volunteer, and was a member of the organization for a few years. After his time with the Peace Corps, he returned to the U.S. for graduate school in Baltimore. However, he soon realized it was not where he wanted to stay. He applied for a position in Iraq as a lecturer at the AUIS in 2009. After two years in the classroom, he was asked to step into a leadership role in administration, where he has now been for three years.

On a day-to-day basis, Gresk is working in his office from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. His work ranges from investigating plagiarism cases, facilitating student life events, attending meetings, to trying to tame his never-ending emails. He says the best part about his job is when he is interacting with his students. His department is determined to enhance its program, so the students receive a better quality education.

“Here at AUIS, we are striving to produce something similar to what GVSU provided me: an American-style liberal arts education with an emphasis on pluralism and personal responsibility,” said Gresk.

A proud career moment for Gresk was when he walked into a 2014 AUIS commencement ceremony, leading the graduating senior class.

“I had taught many of them in our pre-academic program five years earlier, and I felt an immense sense of pride when I looked at how far many of these students had come,” Gresk said.

Though Gresk noted that he doesn’t have much time for extracurricular activities, he said enjoys reading and taking trips on the countryside whenever he can.

“I have over 900 children, so there is not a great amount of time for recreation.”

As for the future, Gresk hopes to someday work toward a doctorate degree.

He currently lives in Sulaimani, Iraq, with his fiancée.

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Page last modified December 19, 2014