Faculty Highlight: Steve Board, Professor and Director of Development
Steve Board is a man of vision. His background in architecture, years of business experience and extensive networking all play a role in his career as both a professor and director of development for Maranatha. While his daily tasks may include grading papers and giving lectures, it doesn’t end there. Sitting behind his desk, you’ll find Steve Board creating a master plan for the future of Maranatha, seeking opportunities to improve the campus and student experience.
How did you become interested in your field of business?
I enjoyed architecture in high school so I attended a university where I could get that degree. After graduating, the Lord led me to diversify my interests, focusing on all parts of the built environment. I had some wonderful experience in many areas of design, construction, and maintaining buildings.
What is your educational background?
In 1978 I graduated with an undergraduate degree in architecture from Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI. That is the gist of my education, and the rest is, as we say, “street knowledge.” I have learned from experiences in the work environment, or I have just learned on my own.
What brought you to MBU?
I first interacted with Maranatha in the late 80s when our church needed to find a youth pastor. And even then, I didn’t know much about the school. Our pastor was a Maranatha graduate, and so for the next couple of years, we talked about Maranatha a lot. I always told my kids they should go to a Bible college for the first year of their education. Our daughter was the first, and she looked at three different schools, but she liked Maranatha and came here in 1995. All three of our kids ended up coming to Maranatha, and through that I made connections. It was 2001, and I agreed to go to Atlanta to start a business. I had already committed to Atlanta, but Dr. Jaspers asked me if I wanted to be the development director for MBU. I told him I didn’t think I should do that since I had already committed to something else. He then asked if I would be a board member, which I agreed to do. I started as a board member in December 2001.
What is your favorite part of MBU?
The students. That is why we are here. This place is dead quiet when the students are not around. We really enjoy having them here.
What advice would you give to prospective students?
Take a lot of online classes and get as many credits as you can. It sounds backward for us because it means they spend less time here, but it’s very advantageous.
The advice I would give to students who are currently here is to build relationships. Your education is important, but you have to build relationships, both inside and outside of campus. I’ve observed that the students who graduate from here and are successful are the ones who built relationships while they were here.
Can you share a proud moment from your time at MBU?
The proudest moment is watching the students graduate. That is a highlight for me. Many of my proudest moments consist of watching student’s eyes light up when they finally catch on to a concept. Getting the Governor to walk on campus was also a proud moment. It fired up the students and faculty and staff, and it excited the Watertown community. It’s through moments like these that I am encouraged. I love to see the kids graduate, but I hate it because that means they’re gone.
Can you tell us about your family?
I have been married to my wife, Pat, for 45 years now. We have three kids that all have graduated from Maranatha. Two of them married Maranatha graduates. We have 5 grandkids, which is what it’s all about for us now. One of my grandkids even delivered my lunch to class today.
Do you have any hobbies or hidden talents?
I enjoy playing golf and I also love to camp. We have a dog that I love to walk. Most of the things we do anymore are for the purpose of spending time with family. We just had a two-week vacation at the beach this summer with our family. This is something we hope to do every year. I love basketball and tried to play it with some guys on the team when I first came up here, then I realized I better stop.
Are you working on any big projects right now?
I have been creating a master plan for development on campus. We would like to build a fine arts hall, expand the gym, and build a science building as well as a soccer/softball field. The next big project we would love to do is install air conditioning in Burckart Hall. All of this, we believe, would be an inducement to recruitment. I am also heavily involved in the community and the development happening in downtown Watertown.