Different Roles. Same Misson.
When J.R. Hustwit, Ph.D., accepted a faculty position at Methodist University in 2009, he and his wife, Wendy, packed up their Southern California lives and made the cross-country move to Fayetteville.
Five years later, Wendy officially joined the Monarch family, stepping into the role of grant writer and sponsored research officer. By then, she felt she had a good understanding of the direction the University was headed and saw an opportunity to contribute her skills in a meaningful way.
Though they work on opposite sides of campus in very different roles, the two joke about how often it’s assumed they work closely together.
“People will come up to me and hand me a paper like, ‘Can you get this to Wendy?’ We don’t eat lunch together, we don’t carpool,” J.R. said. “We’ve got our own meetings and our own projects.”
Despite this, the two can admit working at the same University has its advantages.
“It actually helps in my job,” Wendy said. “For me, having insights into what’s happening academically helps how I connect with donors and grant makers for the University.”
Connecting People through Purpose and Possibility
Wendy’s work in the Office of Institutional Advancement may happen behind the scenes, but as the director of Corporate, Foundation, and Sponsored Programs, she’s at the core of what brings many of MU’s big programs to life. She spends most of her time writing grant proposals, coordinating strategies for funding, and supporting faculty and staff as they turn big ideas into bigger tangible outcomes.
From funding for the Nursing and PA programs to faculty development proposals, she approaches her day-to-day work in grant writing as both a form of storytelling and advocacy.
“It’s really about communicating need, building relationships, and making the case for why something matters,” she said.
Hustwit sees herself as a connector. Coming from a long-standing background in advocacy in nonprofit and political work, Wendy’s passion for empowering and giving a voice to those in need translates into her work at MU.
“I advocate for students, for the University, for faculty research,” she said. “I write to raise awareness, and I connect people and resources.”
That sense of advocacy runs deep for her, from writing multimillion-dollar grant proposals to walking with colleagues from other departments during her lunch break.
Discovery and Working Towards the Bigger Picture
On the other hand, J.R.’s work develops both in the classroom and in leadership. As dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, & Sciences (CAH&S), he supports academic programs across a variety of disciplines, but his heart lives front and center in the classroom.
“I still teach one course a semester, not because I have to, but because I want to,” he said. “It reminds me why all the administrative work matters.”
For J.R., being a dean is all about seeing the big picture. He describes the students in the CAH&S as deeply thoughtful and passionate.
“They’re not here by accident,” he said. “They’re here because something lit a spark; maybe literature, or history, or religion, and they’re chasing it.”
J.R. also sees his role as creating an environment for faculty to do their best work.
“We have an eccentric, brilliant group of professors who are deeply dedicated to their students,” he said. “My job is to create the conditions that allow their classroom experience to be meaningful.”
J.R. also finds purpose in helping to mold the broader direction of the institution.
“What I love now is contributing to the long-term strategy of where the University is going and how our College fits into that vision,” he said.
Both Hustwits agree that, while their roles are very different, their time together at Methodist University has given them a viewpoint of what makes MU special.
“We don’t overlap often, but we both care deeply about this place and about the people who make it work,” Wendy said.
For more on how the College of Arts, Humanities & Sciences is preparing future Monarchs for tomorrow visit methodist.edu/academics/ahs.