West Valley Magazine, September 2010, Mover, Todd Aakhus
Posted on 31. Aug, 2010 by trish in West Valley 24
Through his work, Todd Aakhus has strived to ensure that learning opportunities are available to all and to make true the statement that people are never too old to pursue higher education. As director of Community Partnership Programs for Rio Salado College, a position he’s held since 2005, Aakhus is responsible for both the Rio Salado College Lifelong Learning Center and the Communiversity @ Surprise. He was instrumental in bringing to fruition the Communiversity which is a partnership of seven colleges dedicated to providing students the opportunity to continue their education and earn progressive degrees. “The West Valley is lucky to have Todd. His work at the Rio Salado Lifelong Learning Center and the Communiversity has been about putting student success as the highest priority,” said David Moss, president of the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce. “From lifelong learning programs to workforce development he’s complimented some of the quality more traditional credit and non-credit programs you’d hope for at a college level with community-focused educational initiatives that add a great deal to the success and personality of the region.”
Aakhus works closely with the college’s RISE Learning for Life, a self-directed student association with the purpose of providing learning in retirement opportunities to people in the area. “Their members’ ages range from 55 to 95. As RISE’s advisor, I advise the Governing Board on educational trends, technology, and innovative practices,” he said. At the other end of the generational spectrum, Aakhus helped developed a program called The Next Step which provided Dysart Unified School District sophomore females mentors and role models. “I was proud to be one of the leaders who made a positive impact on the young student’s lives.”Aakhus has served on the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce since 2008, and works with civic organizations including West Valley Partners and Benevilla, a human-services agency in Surprise. Todd is also a Leadership West Alumnus.
Favorite quote: Never mess with the metaphysical…unless you have to.
Who in history would you most like to have dinner with? Phil Lynott (late musician from Thin Lizzy)
What are your favorite books? The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge
What’s your favorite musical group? Thin Lizzy
What you miss most? Arizona without traffic
What is your favorite place/feature in the West Valley? Birt’s Bistro (at the Benevilla campus)
What would your super power be? Immortality
Describe yourself as a child: I was a normal kid, however, I remember listening to rock-n-roll music early on. I was a member of a swim team, butterfly was my best stroke. I raced go karts. I was generally a “B” student in school and had a part-time job at 13 years of age.
What is your favorite cause? Any cause that supports under-served populations
Most overrated virtue: Temperance
What is your biggest pet peeve? Messy people
What would you choose to do, career wise, if you weren’t in your current career? Music production
What would you do if you won the lottery? Buy a huge new home, and invite all my friends over for a party
Tell us something about you that perhaps the average person wouldn’t know? I enjoy vintage cars, and have a 1968 Mustang Fastback GT.
How did you get into your current career field? In 1996 I was recently graduated from Arizona State University and needed a job. I applied at the Maricopa Community Colleges District Support Center as a receptionist in human resources, and got the job. Human resources was my field of study as an undergraduate. That was nine positions ago.
What drives you? Creativity and significance
How do you feel the West Valley has affected you, and how do you feel you’ve affected the West Valley?
The West Valley has enlightened me to opportunity. There are so many nice people with innovative ideas out here, it’s very motivating. I have collaborated with individuals and organizations on a wide variety of successful projects. I feel like I have worked in the West Valley my entire career!
Who was an influence in your life/career, and how did they affect what you do? My parents were influential to me growing up. They both worked hard. As a working adult, I learned that hard work combined with the proper education could help me have the career I wanted.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the West Valley, and how does what you do help ease those challenges? I see providing educational offerings across the life span as a challenge in the West Valley. As the West Valley continues to grow, it will be important to value each generation’s educational preferences in terms of academic level, subject matter, and modality.
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