I Am West Georgia

Danilo M. Baylen

Years at UWG: I am on my second year as faculty in the College of Education.

My job title: Associate Professor.

What I really do: Think, share and try to make a difference in small doses.

Birthplace: Iloilo City, Philippines.

Family: I’m the eldest of four – a brother and two sisters. We just celebrated my mother’s 70th birthday and I was included in the family picture courtesy of a laptop, video camera and broadband connection.

People describe me as: Demanding, dependable and detail oriented – not necessarily in this order.

My favorite things to do: Reading children’s books and nurturing bonsai trees.

My proudest accomplishment: Completing doctoral work at Northern Illinois University.

My passion: Designing creative strategies that integrate technology-based tools to impact student learning. I really get a big kick when I see those “a ha” moments in my students.

My pet peeve: Mediocrity.

Before UWG, I: Lived in Fort Myers, Florida, and worked as faculty at Florida Gulf Coast University.

I joined UWG because: I saw an opportunity to merge my interest in instructional technology and children’s literature.

I stay because: I still have a lot to learn.

One thing I would change about UWG: It’s too early to say.

The best advice I ever received: Even though the top is crowded, there’s always a place for those who excel.

The best advice I’d give to new faculty and staff: Keep smiling – it makes people wonder. Keep your mouth shut unless you have something constructive (positive) to contribute.

When I was a child, I wanted to be: Working in a religious order.

Most people don't know that: I worked in Southeast Asian refugee camps for five years and learned to speak more than 10 languages.

My favorite quotation: There are no mistakes, only yearning and learning.

The book I think everyone should read: "Teaching as a Subversive Activity," "Razor’s Edge" and "Fountainhead."

The movie I think everyone should watch: "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Dancing with Wolves."

My favorite memory: Sitting on my grandfather’s lap and listening to him make up stories to entertain the grandchildren.

The person (alive or dead) I’d most like to meet: Jose Rizal, Pablo Picasso and Eric Carle.

What I would most like to have if castaway on an island: A rich imagination.

What I would do if I won the lottery: Pay mortgages, buy and donate books to my high school alma mater, and use my summer to do volunteer work.

What I most want to contribute to students: Nurture your passion. Always become greater than who you are at the moment.

Although you didn’t ask, I’d like to tell you anyway: I like to cook especially Asian dishes when there’s an opportunity to entertain.