Dr. Luke Hopkins is a Florida State University professor, faculty member, and advisor. As a pledge of Alpha Kappa Psi, and with Dr. Hopkins being our advisor, I took the opportunity to get to know him a little better and understand why his position at Florida State is so important to him.
Her Campus (HC): What was your dream job growing up?
Dr. Luke Hopkins (LH): Like most kids, I wanted to be a professional athlete—specifically a baseball player. I always enjoyed sports and dreamt of making it my career.
HC: As you got older, what was your first exposure to Marketing and why did you choose this field?
LH: When I was younger, before I was serious about school, I was involved in the restaurant and club business. I really enjoyed working with people and helping them. I enjoyed helping people figure themselves out and fell in love with training people.
HC: Tell me your previous education and what led you to Florida State University?
LH: I was born in Macon, Georgia and went to Middle Georgia State University for my undergraduate and graduate degree. Then, I went to Kennesaw State University for my Ph.D. Michael Brady was my dissertation supervisor and was one of the main reasons I chose Florida State—even though my wife told me to go anywhere but in Florida. At first, I didn’t want to teach at a large university like FSU. I liked the appeal of a small school where I could develop personal relationships, but I knew if I went to a larger university it would bring new challenges and I liked the potential of new students and new backgrounds.
HC: Why did you want to become an educator?
LH: I absolutely hated undergraduate school and always watching boring PowerPoint slides in my classes. I wanted to approach teaching from a completely different angle so students were more engaged and had a better learning environment.
HC: So, what are your current positions you hold here at FSU?
LH: I wear a lot of different hats here at Florida State. I am the Assistant Department Chair of the Marketing Department, so I act kind of like a manager and deal with different aspects of scheduling. I teach undergraduate and graduate classes. I’m an advisor for Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity and the Thrift Club. Also, I am involved with the FSU athletics and help with recruiting prospective students for different sports. Student athletes we recruit who are interested in majoring in Business come to me for advising as well.
HC: What would you say most motivates you to do what you do?
LH: If I do my job correctly, so many people’s lives are better off. I get to work with students by teaching them about Marketing. I help students find internships and jobs. Being a part of their journey from being a student to becoming a professional in their respective field is so special. It’s very rewarding being able to see their journey…but being able to say I was a part of it is something else.
HC: How do you balance your personal life with your professional one?
LH: I try to keep what is most important, most important. My family is the most important thing to me so I always make them a priority, whether that be family dinners or being able to attend my kid’s shows/contests. Fortunately, my wife has always been super supportive of me, even with my hectic schedule.
HC: Lastly, what advice would you give a student who is trying to figure out his/her path and where to go?
LH: Start developing relationships today. Talk to your professors; they will be helpful. There’s a lot of faculty here who really enjoy helping students. Having mentors and faculty relationships are so important and can help students in more ways than they think.
All images courtesy of Dr. Luke Hopkins
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