‘You want to leave a legacy’

John Armenia named CityU’s first faculty emeritus

By Melissa Hoyos
Velocity Writer

To City University of Seattle’s last decade of Albright School of Education graduates - now prominent teachers, principals and superintendents - Dr. John Armenia is a household name.

The school’s former Educational Leadership Program Director says he joined the university in 1995 with hopes to mentor future educational leaders and new faculty. He soon became the go-to-guy for job interview training for graduating administrators and teachers. Coworkers say Armenia’s cheerful outlook on life and his role as an educator hasn’t deflated even when the non-smoker was diagnosed with lung cancer in September 2007.

Today, more than 850 future administrators have graduated with their Albright School of Education (ASOE) principal and program administrator certification under Armenia’s guidance.

“Our program has continued to grow and become the finest in the state of Washington so you have a sense of pride and you want to leave a legacy. The students who graduated continue to recommend people (to CityU),” says Armenia, 70, who retired last month after 13 years with the university.

CityU recognized Armenia’s 40 years of service in education recently naming him its first faculty emeritus. President Lee Gorsuch and Provost Steven Olswang conferred Armenia’s title at his August retirement party attended by more than 70 guests, including many current and former students.

“John epitomizes the quality of instruction CityU offers as it prepares the current and future leaders of our schools. He brings both the intellectual and practical knowledge to the classroom and when tied with his verve and excitement for the profession, makes him the best teacher and role model,” Olswang says.

Gorsuch says Armenia will continue to consult on the development of new partnerships and programs, curriculum as well as student and faculty recruitment. He describes Armenia as “straight-forward and full of passion” and admires the educator’s commitment and pride to his profession.

“The status of faculty emeritus is reserved for those who have a long and distinguished career with a university and those embody the values of the university. This is a status that the holder retains for his or her lifetime. At CityU our mission is to ‘change lives for good’. John embodies this mission and pursues it with a true passion,” Gorsuch says.

CityU Dean Emeritus Margaret Davis says Armenia has taught students at all levels since joining the profession. He’s also served a California State Department of Education consultant, Selah School District’s assistant superintendent and the Peninsula School District’s deputy superintendent.

“As our first emeritus faculty, John sets a high standard (with) years of service in leadership positions from principal, staff personnel officer, deputy superintendent. (This is) followed by continued, current engagement with schools,” she says.

Armenia’s formal schooling and introduction to higher education began in Eastern Washington. In Spokane, he attended Gonzaga Preparatory School and went onto attend Gonzaga University where he earned his undergraduate and master’s degree. He received Gonzaga’s Alumni Merit Award in 1984 for his academic achievements and Rotary service. Prior to this, he earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Washington State University in 1978.

Armenia’s prestigious list of academic distinctions includes a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Chile in 1967 and a fellowship with the World Affairs Council from 2004 to 2005. He holds a membership with Phi Delta Kappa Washington International and is the president of the Washington State Chapter. He served as president of the Rotary Club of Gig Harbor and won several service awards from the organization.

Since becoming faculty emeritus, Armenia regularly meets with the new Educational Leadership Program Director Marge Chow and Jay Hambly, CityU Faculty/Program Coordinator. All three continue to work on the design and development of the new M.Ed. and Professional Certification Program.

Chow calls Armenia “a leader from within” who has developed relationships with CityU students in school districts throughout the state, nation and world.

“He is committed to personalized education, tailoring the program to the needs of the principal candidate. He has helped students from Thailand, Nigeria and Alaska though the program,” she says, listing just some of the areas where Armenia’s students derive.

Hambly says Armenia recruited him several years ago. They went onto create several programs to match state and national certification standards for principals, program administrators and superintendents.

“John has the ability to make someone feel important by taking a special interest in them,” says Hambly, the former White River School District superintendent.

When doctors found a tumor on Armenia’s lung, he found a friend in Hambly’s wife Pam who has Stage 4 renal (kidney) cancer. Hambly says he admires Armenia’s resilience, recalling the time when the golf buddies played an entire tournament while Armenia unknowingly suffered a hernia.

After the game, Armenia says he went to a Bellevue, Wash. hospital emergency room where he was diagnosed with the hernia and the lung tumor. With support from wife Brenda, he underwent thoracic surgery and chemotherapy and radiation treatments this past year while preparing for the Educational Leadership program’s successful state reaccreditation.

“He’s stoic when he’s feeling bad. (He has) the ability to take on challenges and weather through pain,” Hambly says.

Armenia continues to receive medical care and hopes to receive news that his cancer is in remission. Educational Leadership alumni continue to keep in touch with Armenia and ask him for updates on his health status.

Former student Judy Stell Lemmel, now the Federal Way Public Schools Elementary Director of Teaching & Learning, attended his August retirement party. Guests were asked to use a single word to describe Armenia.

“John means something unique to each individual. He has touched every life in a significant way. He truly leaves a leadership legacy. The word I selected was integrity… there are very few people in my life to whom I could attribute that term. He knows what he believes and his main belief is in people. He is a champion,” she says.

Armenia hopes to meet more students in the upcoming years as faculty emeritus. He still wants to be a coach to students like Lemmel who are looking to enter the education field.

“We want people to reach for excellence,” he says.