Following 22 years of work at Goshen College as the assistant director of institutional research and academic database manager, Bob Toews has announced that he will retire at the end of this semester.

Over the course of his time at GC, Toews worked across the institutional research office and the registrar’s office. His role includes managing student and some faculty data, course evaluations and setting up courses. “My job has changed a little bit over the years,” said Toews; he started in the registrar’s office as a student records data manager. Toews’ responsibilities increased to his current position as the assistant director of institutional research.

Toews completed a management information systems program at GC in 2004. As he was looking for jobs, there was an opening for a data manager at GC. “It was actually someone I knew from church, Stan Miller, who was the registrar at that time,” Toews recalls. “I had always wanted to work for Stan, Stan was the epitome of somebody I wanted to have as a mentor.” As things came together, he decided this position was a great place to use the skills he had learned, and got the job. “That was 22 years ago last week,” Toews said.

The data he manages includes demographics, basic biographical information, students’ degrees and advising notes, and courses students are enrolling in and completing. “It doesn’t seem like there would be all that much to do, but there is, especially with student data. It changes from time to time,” he said.

Even after such a long time working here, Toews said, “This will probably not be my last professional job.” Although he isn’t sure what he hopes to find, Toews  is ready for something diferent, and says he would like to continue to be intellectually stimulated. However, before getting back to working, he wishes to take some time off to unwind and figure out what’s next.

Other than staying busy, there is one more key thing that Toews mentioned he wants out of his next adventure: “I’d like to find something that also keeps me socially connected.” Toews said,  “I get to work with some incredible people … I don’t think students realize what it takes to run a college and just how fortunate they are to have some of the administrators and other professionals that we have.”

Toews is looking forward to many new adventures in his time off. After finishing this semester, he plans to take a couple of weeks of vacation, and spend  a week in Iceland with a friend.  “I’m very excited about that trip!” Toews mentioned the fact that he has little experience outside of the U.S. and would love to have more international experiences. “Iceland has been a bucket list thing for a long time and I was going to say I finally get to just check it off, but I can see myself going back again someday,” he said. After Iceland, Toews will briefly return to GC to finish up a few tasks for graduating seniors and then will be heading to Wyoming for a hiking trip.

Toews expressed his appreciation for all of the students, faculty and staff at GC that have made his time here great. “Some of the work I do is really energizing, and some it’s not fun at all, but those interactions with both other faculty, staff and students have made it all worthwhile,” he said. He specifically mentioned the work that students do on campus, and said, “There are times that students can be frustrating and then the next moment you turn around and they’re doing something brilliant.”

Toews concluded, “It really has been a gift to get to work with so many people, students, faculty and staff, over the years.”