Faculty FrontDoor

Mr. James K. Leonard

You are probably wondering why Mr. Leonard selected a picture of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to post. Well, he chose this picture because he always remembers his visit to this structure with pride. He exercised regularly so that he could climb the stairs to the top, and he overcame his fear of heights to reach the top. These actions relate to Mr. Leonard's decision to become a teacher. He prepared for it, and he overcame many fears to continue in his chosen profession. After 27 years of teaching, he does not regret his decision. He cannot imagine himself doing anything else.

Mr. Leonard began teaching English at the University of South Florida in Tampa in August 1986, and ever since then, he has enjoyed his time in the classroom. He currently teaches Freshman Composition I and II, but during previous terms, he taught Developmental Writing I and II, Reading I and II, Technical Writing, Student Success, and courses preparing students to teach reading at various educational levels. Prior to his teaching career, he attended St. Petersburg Junior College in Clearwater, Florida, where he earned an A.A. He then transferred to the University of South Florida in Tampa, where he earned a B.A. in English with a minor in general studies (humanities, history, and German). While teaching, he earned an M.A. in English with a specialization in Rhetoric and Composition from the University of South Florida, and he later returned to the same institution to work on a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Reading, but stopped short of earning the degree when he accepted a full-time position at Valencia College in 2003.

On a personal note, Mr. Leonard lives in the village of Mulberry with his husband (Jerry), two cats (Rambo and Roxy), and a dog (Prince). He spends his free time reading, writing letters to send via snail mail, watching old films on Netflix, traveling, and walking.