Randy Riddle's answers

The biggest project I worked on at Wake Forest was planning and implementation of three special-use classroom facilities for Art, Music and Theater with budgets ranging from $50K to $500K.

I enjoyed working there; there was collegiality among the faculty and staff and good leadership at the university. The only thing I might change would be to make the salaries more competitive.

If you like contemporary art, check out the collection at the student center. Each year since the early sixties, students have gone on buying trips in New York and they have pieces by the top artists of the past few decades. Also, check out the interesting gallery exhibits, theater and music programs - there's a wide range of interesting work and performances to see....

First, get to know the administrative assistant in your department. They're a fountain of knowledge about budgets, ordering, and just generally about finding your way around. Second, take some time to walk around campus and get to know people outside your area. Wake Forest is a very close-knit place and you can have some great opportunities to share ideas with people outside your department. Finally, explore some alternative ways to get to work - there are many odd side streets around Winston and you might find a faster or more interesting way to get to work....

At Wake Forest, I had a private office that was in a department and similar to offices that faculty might have.

When I worked at Wake Forest University, I lived in a part of town called the "West End", a series of older neighborhoods on the outskirts of downtown. It was about a ten minute drive from the university.

The sense of community that comes from a smaller institution; you can get to know almost everyone on campus and exchange ideas across disciplines and work areas.