For some people, making life decisions is as easy as following a straight path. However, this was not the case for Mark Moreno. For him, life has been a journey of following “breadcrumbs.” Moreno initially never had a clear idea as to what he would be doing post-graduate, but by faith in life’s unfolding, it led him here to Andrews University.
“I was never one of those kids that said, ‘I’m going to be a teacher,’ ‘I’m going to be a fireman,’ or ‘I’m going to be a police officer.’ I just followed the breadcrumbs throughout my life. I ended up picking little pieces here and there, and it just makes sense; it always worked out. I’ve always lived on the faith that things would work out the way they’re supposed to, and I still do.”
Mark Moreno, a professor at Andrews University’s School of Architecture and Interior Design (SAID), has been teaching here for 30 years. He earned his undergraduate degree in 1985 from the University of Texas at Arlington and later earned a graduate degree from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. After undergrad, he was battling with deciding what to do next. “I had to do this whole process in my head to figure out if I wanted to become a licensed architect or a teacher,” Moreno said. “I always thought I’d be a teacher since my mentors were teachers.” One of Moreno’s mentors who inspired him the most was Dick Powell, his ninth-grade science teacher. Moreno said that he would always make the classroom a place to feel welcomed, a place where you could learn in creative ways.
Moreno became a substitute teacher in a few areas, such as Arlington, Texas, Hutchinson Middle School, Lubbock, Texas, and Sam Houston High School. “My friend told me, ‘Hey, you could be a substitute teacher. You’d get $45 a day, and you don’t have to do anything. You could work on your portfolio, do sketches and stuff’ and I said, ‘Well, that’s interesting.’”
Back in undergraduate school during pinups critiques, Moreno would always try to anticipate what the professors were going to ask the class about their projects; if the professors didn’t, he would. “Not in a judgmental way, but it was just in a curious way. I think having that kind of thinking as a student was the indicator as to knowing that I wanted to be a teacher.” Being a substitute teacher ended up being a practice round to show him that the teaching path was for him.
“I know that, in part, being a teacher, you have to be an entertainer. I love storytelling and it’s a big part of who I am as a person, and also, as a teacher,” Moreno said. Having fun with the students is a big part of who Moreno strives to be in his day-to-day life. Some of his favorite classes are ‘Placemaking in Spirit,’ which he has been teaching for 25 years, and “Person Environment Theory.” In simple words, these classes teach how to connect architecture with people; how architecture affects us, and how we affect architecture.
I asked some of his current students to describe him, and this is what they have to say:
“He sees and challenges every student as an individual. He makes his classes in a way that allows us to grow in our creative abilities in a loose and creative environment, all while maintaining high standards,” said Nick Rodgers (sophomore, architecture).
“He’s like a wild card. He can be very serious when it comes to classwork, but he’s also very funny,” shared Annelia Graham (sophomore, architecture).
“Moreno is true to his word. He said he’s our friend, but there’s a power differential. In class, he would make jokes, but when it’s time to work, he’s in work mode; but there’s still some play,” said Doyle Lewis-Balfour (sophomore, architecture).
Some advice Moreno would like to share with architecture students is to let your professors know when you are struggling. “Go and talk with your professors. The core of teaching is about helping students to understand what they don’t understand. The thing I worry about the most is when students are struggling and they don’t come to me for help.” Effective communication is essential when it comes to getting help. You can either get help from your professors or even classmates, because it is better to ask for help and succeed than to not ask for help and fail.
Some notable advice Moreno shared was “If you’re frustrated or confused about something, talk to a classmate.” He said this because our classmates can likely explain the instructions in a way a professor cannot. “Give back genuine feedback to your classmates on their projects; don’t stop them from working so you can outdo them.”
Moreno is not only a teacher but also a mentor, storyteller, and ultimately, an inspiration for current and future architecture students.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.