Mike Irwin:
CLASS OF 1988
Richwoods High SchoolClass of 1988
Peoria, IL
Western Illinois University - Graduate SchoolClass of 1998
Macomb, IL
Western Illinois UniversityClass of 1994
Macomb, IL
Mike's Story
Life
A couple of years after high school (1990), I decided to head for college (WIU). During college, Ann Yohe (Richwoods HS 1990) and I lived together, but we never married. I studied biology and journalism. Believe it or not, I graduated Magna Cum Laude - very strange for a guy who didn't apply himself at all in high school.
After college, I had a short stint as an assistant editor specializing in science at four agricultural trade publications based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Ann had followed me to NC and became unhappy with her surroundings (and probably me), so we moved back to Macomb. I went back to grad school in zoology for all of the wrong reasons - because I didn't know what else to do in Macomb, Ill. However, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Ann and I split up soon after returning to Illinois. I do owe her some gratitude for getting me through some rough times, and I wished I could have helped her better through some of hers. But it's funny how people can grow apart so completely.
During my graduate studies in aquatic ecology and entomology, I met the true love of my life. Kathy was another grad student specializing in ornithology and herpetology. Due to her good looks and quick wit, I fell in love with her immediately, but she took some convincing. I wore her down slowly, and my persistence finally paid off. We married soon after she and I...Expand for more
received our MS degrees and had found work outside of Illinois (e-mail me if you want specific details). We are now in our humble but rewarding careers protecting our environment, both of us dealing primarily in water quality.
My work used to put me in touch with hundreds of volunteers. My specialties included aquatic macroinvertebrate identification, computer cartography, editorial, and database management. I recently took a step up (and away from the volunteers) to full-time biological water quality assessment. Kathy does the hard work, monitoring water quality for regulatory compliance. She is really making a difference and enjoys what she does.
Outside of work, we vacation regularly, visiting state and national parks across the country. Oddly enough, we both have a love of amusement parks and roller coasters. We hit an average of two amusement parks per year. We don't have any children, but our pets (cat, bearded dragon, and tokay gecko) keep us relatively entertained. We regularly fish, bike, and canoe in our spare time. And we love going to dinner and catching movies.
I can honestly and sincerely say that I am shocked to be where I am and doing what I am doing. If my Richwoods HS self could have looked into the future, I'm not sure he would have liked it. Looking back on it all, my path has been a good one thus far. I'm really looking forward to the path ahead of me.
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