After a long day in the classroom, Joe Ohren often goes home to relax on the farm. The Eastern Michigan University political science professor trades in his mortar board for his farmer's hat.
"I go home and shovel manure," said Ohren, director of the master of public administration program (MPA) at EMU. "I escape and leave all the problems (of the day) behind me."
He and his wife, Laura Reese, and their daughters — eight-year-old Teagan and 12-year-old Lidiya — live on a nine-acre plot of land they call "Swinelake Farm" in Superior Township.
 |
FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE
BARNYARD: Joe Ohren, an Eastern
Michigan University political science
professor and director of the master of
public administration (MPA) program,
relaxes away from the classroom on his
nine-acre farm in Superior Township.
|
In 1990, the family bought an old dairy farm that was built in the 1870s. During the next decade, they extensively remodeled both the house and barn.
One result is the gym on the first floor of the barn. Chickens, two horses and cats occupy the barn's lower level. In the last 14 years, there also was a Norwegian Elkhound (that lived to the age of 16) and three 80- to 100-pound potbellied pigs.
Early every day, Ohren feeds the chickens and throws hay to the horses. He returns home in the evening to again feed the animals, perhaps mow the lawn and tend to their 150-square-foot vegetable garden that he compares to the size of a Pray-Harrold classroom.
"Since we live on a farm and have animals, I often detour at the (I-96) Brighton exit to pick up horse feed or chicken feed," said Ohren, describing his frequent route home from Lansing.
But that isn't the only detour he makes these days.
There are signs that his enthusiasm for farming is starting to ebb. The chickens are all too old to lay eggs; the horses originally intended for pleasure riding now just roam around riderless; there are no more pigs and the dog wasn't replaced after it died.
The animal population may be decreasing, but his zeal for teaching has never been greater.
Teaching is the overwhelming passion in his life that not only continues in the classroom, but also extends into the entire community. Working with local government officials, giving speeches at civic organizations, including the Rotary Club, and lecturing in a classroom are all teaching and learning experiences, he said.
Ohren said he was teaching when he recently spent six hours consulting with city officials in Adrian. He is helping them strengthen decision-making procedures, identifying critical issues confronting their city and articulating a set of goals to guide the city's decision making over the next three to five years.
"I have a greater impact as a teacher than as an elected official," said Ohren, who once considered going to law school or running for elective office. "I'm teaching because Gunthrie Birkhead, a professor at Syracuse University, suggested that I think about it. Helping people understand is what teachers do and I do it on and off campus."
"The University (EMU) is very supportive of teaching and EMU's Institute for Community and Regional Development (ICARD) is a comfortable home," said Ohren, who coordinates public service programs through ICARD.
As an undergraduate, Ohren majored in political science at Aquinas College in his hometown of Grand Rapids. From there, he received a master's degree in public administration and a doctorate in social science with majors in public administration, public finance and metropolitan studies from Syracuse University in New York. After teaching at the University of Kentucky for 13 years, he came to EMU in 1985.
Ohren also has three older children, Jeffrey, Joni and Jennifer; eight grandchildren and two step-grandchildren.
"I love teaching and, as I get closer to retirement, I still love working with students," said Ohren.
