Office Hours

Giselle Kowalski:
Hi everybody. My name is Giselle Kowalski and I'm the digital content producer here at Texas State University. You're listening to Office Hours and today I'm here with Avery. Avery, what's up?

Avery May:
Hi.

Giselle Kowalski:
How are you doing?

Avery May:
I'm doing good. Doing good. How are you?

Giselle Kowalski:
I'm great. So you got to talk to Tom May who is actually your dad, and so that conversation was really cool to listen to, but what did you learn? Did you learn anything new about him?

Avery May:
It was really cool. It was interesting to see my dad from a different perspective, especially knowing that he's a professor and I've grown up knowing him as that and then being a student and not just his daughter anymore. It was really cool.

Giselle Kowalski:
Yeah. The perspective between both you and him also having been Texas State students was interesting too because the university has changed so much.

Avery May:
Right. Yeah.

Giselle Kowalski:
Yeah. So we hope you enjoy this conversation between Avery and her dad, who is also a professor, Tom May.

Avery May:
I know you're my dad, but what's your name and your title here at Texas State?

Tom May:
My name is Tom May and my title is Professor of Instruction at the School of Art and Design.

Avery May:
What do you teach?

Tom May:
I teach ceramics. I've also taught sculpture and 3D design.

Avery May:
Cool. How long have you worked at Texas State?

Tom May:
I've been working at Texas State since 1988 as a student worker first. In 2003, I was a non-regular, non-permanent wood shop tech, and somewhere along 2007 I was an adjunct teacher and then a full-time instructor for ceramics, and now I've got my current position. I've seen the university grow.

Avery May:
Yeah, for sure. So I know you said you were a student worker, so I guess that kind of leads into what's your educational background?

Tom May:
So I graduated from high school in 1978 and I took a long period of just working. And then somewhere along 1985, I decided to start taking some classes because I wanted to do geology. I was taking classes and working at the same time and fell in love with ceramics somewhere there. And I also did my graduate studies at UTSA.

Avery May:
I didn't know that you were doing geology. That's cool. So it just kind of led you into ceramics.

Tom May:
They have kinship.

Avery May:
So what did you do before teaching? You said you had a long work break.

Tom May:
So when I moved to Austin, I was working in retail. In the malls in Austin, I heard of some T-shirt shops that were up for sale, so a partner and I bought several T-shirt shops and we ran T-shirt shops in Austin for about five years. We sold the T-shirt shops, and then I got involved with robotics and I had a knack for designing, solving problems with the robotics. So I designed mechanical functions for the robot until I started taking classes full time here at Texas State.

Avery May:
That's so cool. I didn't know that. What year was that?

Tom May:
I started working on the robots in 1991, and by 1999 I was doing it on my own, but I was also a full-time student at that point.

Avery May:
Interesting. That's so cool. What led you to pursue a career in teaching ceramics?

Tom May:
Kids.

Avery May:
Just us.

Tom May:
Yes, you guys. I was married and I was being the full-time artist for a while and it would take me to lots of shows. I would work late at night. While your mom was working, I would watch you guys during the day, but I was gone almost every weekend and it got difficult for both your mom and I to be able to spend good time with you guys. when I started doing more of the non-regular, non-permanent positions here at the university. I was still being creative, but I wasn't necessarily making as much work. I still did some shows, but not as much, so it was more of a convenience thing.
I started teaching primarily because the thought was, oh, you're going to have summers off. You can take care of the kids.

Avery May:
Yeah. Yeah.

Tom May:
That was the thought process.

Avery May:
That makes sense. So what did being an artist, creating work, what did that entail?

Tom May:
Well, there was a lot of things I didn't know when I finished. When you're an artist, you have to come up with all these ideas and you have to kind of project the future and think of what is somebody going to want later. So I would make a lot of goods. I experimented a lot. I didn't want to be a traditional potter. I didn't want to make cups and bowls and plates. I made more sculptural items. I made more things that were meant to be art that's hung on the wall, but using clay as a material instead of using steel or paper or things like that.

Avery May:
That's really cool. So did you face any challenges in your career teaching or creating art?

Tom May:
I think being a teacher first and foremost is challenging because every semester you're getting a new group of people, so you're learning about this class and there's a dynamic that happens with each semester that's a little bit different. In art, just trying to figure out what's the next best thing has always been an issue.

Avery May:
Yeah, it's always changing and evolving. I feel like you have to stay on top of it. Yeah. What do you find the most rewarding about being a professor?

Tom May:
Man, there's a moment when I'm explaining or doing something with a student and that light bulb goes off on their head and they get so excited, and that's very exciting for me.

Avery May:
I can feel that being in the student's position there and being like, oh my gosh, I finally understand.

Tom May:
Yeah.

Avery May:
Yeah.

Tom May:
And that's the most rewarding thing.

Avery May:
Can you tell me about a personal project that was particularly meaningful to you?

Tom May:
A few years ago, we did some tiles for the university that are currently in what used to be called the PACE Center with somebody who taught me, Michelle Conroy, and that collaboration, that ability to do something that's got some longevity to it and they're still hanging there. That is really important to me.

Avery May:
I remember that project, I think. I remember going to see the tiles after they were put up.

Tom May:
Oh, yeah, it was reminiscent of the show days. I was gone a lot making those tiles. Your mom remembers it really well too.

Avery May:
That kind of leads me into how do you balance teaching with your personal projects?

Tom May:
I don't. The truth be told, my primary job as an instructor or professor of instruction is to teach. Whereas faculty members, their job is to teach, yes, but to also enrich the university on a more creative level. I do still make. I'm not as productive. I have lots of ideas and I look forward to retirement, so I could create those ideas, but right now I just mostly tinker.

Avery May:
Yeah. Speaking of retirement, I know that's probably coming up in the next couple years. What do you plan on doing when you're no longer teaching?

Tom May:
Well, I hope to be making something. I hope to be fishing somewhere. Maybe I'm a little afraid that it's too close. I don't feel like I'm ready to give up yet.

Avery May:
I don't think it's giving up, just moving on.

Tom May:
Some people are really eager for it, but I just wonder.

Avery May:
I think you and I are similar in our hesitance for change-

Tom May:
Yes.

Avery May:
... And I know that you've been here for a long time. So it's a big change, but I think it'll be a good one. Looking back on your career, is there anything that you would've done differently?

Tom May:
I don't know necessarily differently, but maybe I would've had a little more fun sometimes, not been so serious.

Avery May:
Yeah, that makes sense. What impact do you hope to leave through your work as a professor?

Tom May:
Well, I think I'm starting to see it. I went to the Texas Clay Festival this weekend and five of my students are now professional artists. They were showing at this show that is for some of the best ceramic artists in the state of Texas, and it was really nice to see them there with their booths making a living doing what they had trained to do.

Avery May:
Yeah, that is really cool. I'm sure it was cool for them to see you also.

Tom May:
Yes. Lots of hugs. That's why I have this cold now.

Avery May:
So I mean, as you know, I'm planning on graduating hopefully in the next semester. Is there any advice that you might have for me as your daughter and as a student just going forward and pursuing a career?

Tom May:
So Avery, just like I just said for myself, just enjoy your time. You've worked so hard to get this degree, but it doesn't mean that you have to jump right into the workforce and make a lot of money because that's not what it's all about. And now I can say that because we're in better shape than we were 20 years ago. You're going to have the great fortune of leaving here with not too much debt.

Avery May:
Yeah, it'll definitely make things easier, I think, going into the real world. So I know that you attended Texas State University. Watching me going through my university experience, how would you feel like it compares to your experience as a student at Texas State?

Tom May:
It's very different and oh my gosh, you're so studious. I was never that way. I worked full-time and was a student part-time, so in those terms, I just was really slow at getting through my classes. I was fortunate enough to attend school when the state didn't regulate how many hours you had to have, so I got to take all the classes I ever wanted, and I left here with a lot of hours. I was able to take classes after classes, after classes. I started with geology and geography and I took a ton of classes there and to break it up, I took some art classes and I fell in love with the art classes.

Avery May:
Yeah. That does feel very different. I feel like going into university now, at least my experience was like, I have to know what I want to do so I don't waste my money and waste my time.

Tom May:
Yes. And you also had a mother who was an academic advisor and she was very thorough about telling you, you only need this one, this one, this one. You want to get in and out.

Avery May:
I think it was nice having both sides of the spectrum, one side telling me these are the classes that you need to take to get you through, and then also the other side that's like, yeah, but you can also take scuba diving if you want to.

Tom May:
That's right. I think if you asked her that same question, she may also say that she kind of wandered back and forth a little bit. The other thing is this room, this building was the library when I was here. So whenever I come to JCK, it's a little reminiscent of those days.

Avery May:
That's so funny. I remember seeing a picture of whenever they transferred all the books from here to Alkek and it was just a long line of students passing books.

Tom May:
And that's what we did. They sent out an announcement and we all stood in a line and everybody passed a stack of books.

Avery May:
That's so cool. That's so cool. It's interesting to be able to be in the room with somebody who has seen the university through so many years and so many different presidents and deans and all of that. What has been kind of your observation, seeing the university become what it is now compared to whenever you were a student?

Tom May:
Well, in some ways it's sad. You can look at the university and San Marcos in the same way. San Marcos today is very similar to what Austin was in the early 1980s. So I like the charm of San Marcos, but I miss the days when you could go to the river and there was nobody there. That being said, I liked the days when West Campus didn't exist. That was still the academy. Southwest Texas State was just this little small campus, but it was up on a hill and it was beautiful.

Avery May:
OK. Well, thank you so much for sitting down and talking to me about this. It was really cool to hear about your experiences as my dad also because there's a lot that I don't know.

Tom May:
Well, thank you for having me. And yeah, unless we're forced to talk about some of this stuff, we don't ever, I mean, it's not in the moment, right?

Avery May:
Yeah. Yeah.

Tom May:
You hear a lot of, I remember back when.

Avery May:
Yeah. I've said many times throughout my university experience, it feels like I'm coming full circle. Working here and knowing that mom used to work in this building or going to visit you on campus and being like, I'm the same age as these students that I would see whenever I came in when I was sick and had to go with my dad to work. So it's really cool. Thank you so much, Dad.

Tom May:
Thank you.

AnaBelle:
Thank you for listening to this episode of Office Hours. We hope you enjoyed this conversation and make sure to tune in next time to learn more about the experiences of our amazing Texas State faculty. Also, remember to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube @TXST. This podcast is a production of the Division of Marketing and Communications at Texas State University. Podcasts appearing on the Texas State University Network represent the views of the host and the guest, not of Texas State University. Once again, I'm AnaBelle and I'll see you next time.