From a Distance...

 
Online Newsletter for Arkansas Distance Learning

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Member Profile:  Dave Phillips
by Karen P. Liebhaber

Dave Phillips, the 2008 recipient of ARDLA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, is the Director of Telecommunications at the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope (UACCH).  He has been involved in ARDLA for several years and exemplifies someone who has made a lifetime contribution to building and improving the field of distance education.

Dave’s devotion to distance education started long before he set foot on the UACCH campus.  As an instructor in air force training, Phillips recognized the need for distance education.  During his seven years of enlistment, Phillips trained air force technicians worldwide from many locations, often remotely. 

As one of the top 10% in his class at Kessler Air Force Base, Dave helped update the base’s training program.  After earning a master instructors certificate badge there, awarded to only the top 10% of instructors, he became an instructor supervisor, a director, then a special projects officer and commander. 

As a special projects officer and commander, Dave oversaw a $95 million program designed to develop an online/distance education prototype used to test and train military personnel.  He and his team developed variable software—revolutionary for the time—which allowed the simulator to be much more flexible.  Dave and his team won national wards for this software three years is a row:  1992, 1993, and 1994. 

At Kessler Dave also wanted to take training worldwide.  Because Kessler had one of the only satellite uplinks, Dave and his team were able to use the infant internet to perform online training.

Dave retired from the air force while stationed at Marksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, LA, and began his career at UACCH as Director of Telecommunications.  At UACCH, Dave oversees all phone and radio systems, A/V and video equipment; supports CVN; manages satellite downlinks; indirectly supports distance education; provides tools, training, and technology for faculty and staff; and oversees all tech support.  Although not involved in top level technology, Dave loves his job and spends between 60 and 70 hours a week at it.

Dave is busy in his spare time, as well.  He was instrumental in linking the Washington Confederate Park with the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) to enable the park to offer interactive, live CVN field trips to students and interested attendees.  This initiative, which hopes to develop close to twenty-five electronic field trips in the near future, has helped the park increase its declining attendance.

He is a member of several boards.  Dave serves on the Clinton Center Museum board, the Sentimental Journey to the Southwest Proving Ground museum board,  ARDLA, AUDIS, is president of the Hope Lion’s club, and is active in the local American Legion where he helps with technology during meetings and activities. 

He and his wife, Judy, an artist by trade who Dave says is not a computer person, manage a campground in their spare time.  The campground hosts a pickin’ and grinnin’ potluck one Saturday a month and is home to a Native American totem pole carver who uses a chainsaw to carve logs who “talk to me and tell me what they are.”   

Phillips also fixes up his home, a huge 1880 house which had to be moved to its current location in five separate chunks.  He considers himself a part time goat and garlic farmer, although his four goats tend to be more pet than livestock.  He also enjoys taking refresher IT classes in order to stay current in his field.

Dave and Judy have one son, Ken, who works for the defense contractor who maintains the same training simulator for which Dave and his team created software.  Their daughter, Amanda, is one of five sports medicine-certified physicians in the state of Louisiana.  Dave and Judy also have three grandchildren:  Dave, son of Ken, and Tyler and Trey, sons of Amanda.

About the Author

Karen Powers Liebhaber is the Distance Education Coordinator, Blackboard System Administrator, and an instructor of English and literature at Black River Technical College.  She earned a Master of Arts in English from Arkansas State University.  She lives in Pocahontas with her husband and two children.

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