“I was here the day they opened the doors at Glendale Community College.” Stated Bruce. His longevity as a faculty member is remarkable, especially considering that he started teaching in 1965 and retired in the Spring of 2025. His main areas of instruction were accounting, criminal justice, and shorthand. He joked, “Shorthand, can you believe there was a time when we taught that? Few people even know what it is anymore.”
As much as the curriculum might have changed, Bruce noted that several core tenets have remained a constant at GCC. First is that students are of the highest importance, and second is the use of the latest technology. He recalled the first time he entered his classroom at GCC, and there in the back of the room were six brand-new adding machines. As Bruce points out, he also taught bookkeeping at Glendale High School, doing so without any equipment whatsoever. The adding machines at GCC brought a whole new dimension to his instruction – allowing him to teach theory and practical application at the same time. “This might seem like a small thing nowadays. Back then, it really made a difference on the student’s ability to grasp concepts and apply them.”
According to Bruce, it is that dedication to putting the students first and always adapting to changes in technology is what makes GCC so special. “I saw it on my first day on campus, and it has never changed in my 60 years at GCC; the needs of the students come first. Plus, the faculty and staff are always ready to adapt and implement new technology.” Bruce recounts when computers and over-head projection systems came into the classroom; at first, he was hesitant, then he, like other faculty, quickly found ways to improve their curriculum by making the most of the new tools. “When I began working with computers, I saw the opportunity to provide learning aids for my students. One of my first projects was to create an accounting workbook, which enhanced their understanding of accounting principles multi-fold.” Bruce exclaimed.
Not only does Bruce have strong ties to Glendale Community College, he and his family have very deep roots with the City of Glendale and Glendale High School. Bruce taught accounting at Glendale High School for 30 years – teaching at the high school during the day and at GCC in the evenings. His grandfather also taught bookkeeping at Glendale High School for many years. Bruce’s father was the bookkeeper for a Glendale business until he became the first full-time Chief of the Glendale Fire Department. Both his paternal and maternal grandparents arrived in Glendale in the 1910s. Keeping with the family tradition of service to the community, Bruce served on the Glendale City Council from 1976 – 1988, with ten of those as Vice-Mayor.
With the extensive family history in education, it is interesting to note that Bruce was the first member of his family to attend college. He started at Phoenix College in the mid 1950’s when one semester's tuition was $100. “That was a lot of money back then! I had to borrow it from my grandfather, and he was only too happy to help me out. He knew the value of an education.” Stated Bruce. He went on to ASU for his bachelor’s degree and NAU for his master’s.
Thank you, Bruce, for your dedication to education, to Glendale Community College and to the City of Phoenix. You bring a proud heritage of service to the community and the classroom. And most of all, thank you for being a Proud Gaucho.