For Natural Science Division Chair Mike Feltner success is taking his 6-year-old son to hockey practice or his 8-year-old daughter to her soccer games.
“Right now my greatest joy is family and spending time with my kids — having time to play with them and being a part of their growth Feltner said.
After 23 years in the Natural Science Division, Dr. Feltner will become Seaver’s newest associate dean starting August 1. But for the time being, Feltner finds the most satisfaction from his family.
I had a tremendous experience as the chair of the Natural Science Division for the last five years and was encouraged by colleagues and peers to consider the associate dean position Feltner said. So if I can use my talents abilities and strengths to benefit the college on a wider scale I think that’s what we’re called to do.”
From a small town in Ohio Feltner revealed that despite the success he has achieved in his youth he never believed he would teach at Pepperdine.
“I couldn’t have imagined when I was a sophomore in high school that I would end up at Pepperdine University much less a faculty member the chair or the associate dean Feltner said.
Feltner specializes in biomechanics, which studies how people use their bodies to move and how one can control and regulate that movement. He explained that growing up, he was an athletic trainer for a baseball team, and had always been around sports, but more on the injury side. He later went back to graduate school where he became more interested in the field, after taking his first class in biomechanics.
From there, he went into the sports medicine field, which enabled him to continue his study of movement. Now, as a professor for more than two decades, Feltner still finds joy in his career.
One of the great things about being a professor is that you get to help people develop and help them be the people they want to be and that’s a wonderful privilege and its one of the things that attracted me to [teaching] Feltner said. You get up in the morning and think ‘I can’t wait to go to work today.'”
Though he is excited to start his new position Feltner explained that he will miss the people he works with in the Natural Science Division.
“I have the best staff in the world Feltner said. I’ve worked in this division for 23 years now and some of my best friends in the world and closest colleagues are here. So to lose that day to day interaction will certainly be a loss.”
However Feltner looks forward to this new endeavor as another means of helping students understand their purposes.
“For students the success of what we’re trying to sell them here is to understand their vocation and what God’s calling is in their life Feltner said. How can they leave from here people who are going to make a difference in the world and that’s going to be different for each student.
“Some people are going to be CEOs some are going to be physicians some are going to be stay-at-home parents and all of those are great things Feltner said. It’s about what God’s calling you to do and how they can use their skills set to the fullest. If we do that that’s success.”
Success in life culminates differently for everyone. Feltner explained that the success that he achieved in his life has come from the joy he gets from his job and his wife and kids.
“I think success for me is just being content that I’m using the skills and the abilities that God has blessed me to the fullest and that I’m able to do it surrounded by family and friends who love and care for me Feltner said. When people ask me ‘How’s it going how’s life?’ I always say ‘I’m blessed beyond measure.'”
Dean Rick Marrs explained in an e-mail that Feltner was chosen above other candidates as associate dean of Seaver College because of his high qualifications.
“Dr. Feltner has served for several years as chair of the Natural Science Division and so is well acquainted with the various aspects of Seaver academic life Marrs wrote. He is also highly respected by his peers and colleagues and so was an excellent choice for this position.”