Welcome to the Department of Public Policy’s (DPP) fourth edition of Teaching Tuesday! Throughout this semester we will be featuring faculty on Tuesdays and teaching you a bit about their lives outside of the classroom. Each faculty featured will be asked a few questions and we will post their responses without a filter. We look forward to sharing our faculty with you and hope you enjoy learning some fun facts that you may not have previously known. Our latest feature is Professor Lloyd Blanchard!
Question 1: Why did you decide to become a professor?
Early in my career, I had a part-time job teaching business basics at a proprietary vocational school. This is when I realized that I had found my calling as a teacher. Eventually, I became Director of Education of one of the schools within the company, but came to see that they exploited the Pell grant eligibility of those from low-income communities, so I decided to pursue becoming an educator at a more serious level.
Question 2: What are your teaching interests?
Urban policy, economics, budgeting, financial management, executive leadership
Question 3: Why did you decide to come to UConn?
I was in private sector consulting and looked to return to academia in time for my daughter to go to college. So I looked around for a good job at a good university, and UConn fit the bill. I already had numerous long-time friends here so it helped make the decision to move here much easier.
Question 4: If you weren’t a professor what would you be instead and why?
I think there would have been one of two choices. The first is a banker, because it is practical and ensures a good living. The second is a drummer in a funk band, because this is what I love to do (I did this in my youth), but I would have had to eschew the practical considerations listed above.
Question 5: What is your favorite thing about Hartford?
Black Eyed Sally’s and Bear’s BBQ
Question 6: If you could travel to any location right now where would you like to go and why?
Paris, France. Because I’ve never been and I promised my girlfriend we’d go one day.