Michelle is my wife. She serves as the Dean of the College of Behavioral and Natural Sciences at MSUM. As such, she works very long hours on campus, and works endless hours at home after work and on the weekends. She also has many work-related commitments off-campus, often in the evenings and on weekends, and often out of town. Despite a schedule that would grind me to a pulp, she is able to attend exercise classes most days, either before or after work – sometimes both! She also manages to take care of a household, which includes myself and three rambunctious dogs. She has been a Reserve Deputy for the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, a volunteer for the Red Cross, and very involved with Retrieve a Golden of Minnesota (RAGOM) – a golden retriever rescue organization. For the latter, she has volunteered to transport homeless dogs that are coming into RAGOM from throughout the region. She has served both as a temporary foster, caring for dogs until they can find a permanent foster home, and as a permanent foster. Moreover, she and I have adopted two of these dogs as permanent members of our family. This is a caring and giving woman, who takes her place in the world seriously, and who always responds to someone or something in need. It’s a shame I don’t have the vocabulary to better express what a beautiful person she is.
