Jonathan Hicks, Associate Professor, Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services

Hometown

• Rockford, IL

Schools Attended

• Rock Valley College
• Western Illinois University
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Things we can talk about

Pretty much anything is fair game. Attending college requires a lot of different skills – from picking a major to passing classes to getting along with your roommates. Honesty does not have to be brutal and I will always give you the best advice I can.

I am available for

Conversations in all forms:

• Phone calls
• Email chats
• Zoom calls
• In-person meetings in my office or elsewhere on campus

Please do not hesitate to reach out if there is anything at all I can be helpful with.

Why I want to be a Maverick Firsts Advocate

I was the first person in my family to attend college. The most frequent feeling I remember having was being overwhelmed by the process. Often, it was not the learning that was difficult, it was the “little” things that many others took for granted: registration, pre-requisites, knowing where to park, finding the nearest laundry. It is hard to feel comfortable when you do not have access to that type of information. As a professor, I want to help students navigate those not-so-little hurdles so they can move through their time with MNSU with confidence that they are on the right path.

Randomness about Jonathan

I teach and do research in Natural Resource Management, which means I get to spend a lot of time outside and know lots of fun places to hike and explore. If you like talking about animals, you should definitely reach out and introduce yourself!

Self-care is an important part of many of my classes. Balancing work, school, and personal relationships is hard. Let me know if I can help.

There are lots of jobs/careers near and far in the parks and recreation field that will pay you to work outside. Our program has inspired over half a century of alumni, and I would be happy to introduce you to the folks who work in those positions.