José Morin

Professor

“I think everyone should learn Spanish at some point. It’s just ‘reality, 1990, the Los Angeles basin.’”

“My family moved to Texas from Northern Mexico,” says José Morin. “We had difficult times learning to speak English. But we made the transition. And the family made the decision to learn the language as a survival skill.”

Survival skills are something that José has in depth. “I was in Vietnam in 1966 as an air medical evacuation specialist,” he remembers. His experiences there left him a decorated war hero. But the medals he earned for bravery were secondary in importance to receiving the GI Bill. Using those benefits, and working part time, José dedicated himself to education. “I’ve now completed everything but the dissertation for my E.Ed.,” he says.

José has taught in SMC’s foreign language department without a break in his schedule since 1979. “Our department has a very dedicated professional group of people,” he says. “And I think the students here have been a major factor in my staying on.”

José has run in the Chicago Marathon the last couple of years. “I’d say that the mental organization I’ve picked up at SMC helped me reach this particular goal.”

He would one day like to express himself as a creative writer, “or perhaps write instructional manuals for other teachers of Spanish.” But for now, his greatest motivation comes from his students. “They have similar goals to the one I had when I was studying. That motivates me; to know I’m helping people who want to be helped.”

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