David Chatfield, a doctoral candidate in business administration and the newest student trustee elected to Thomas Edison State University’s Board of Trustees, has followed a journey of lifelong learning and leadership. With a rich background spanning military service, industry experience and academic excellence, David is well-positioned to understand and advocate for the needs of both traditional and non-traditional students while embodying the spirit of continuous growth that TESU champions. In the following article, David shares his backstory with characteristic wit and wisdom as well as thoughts on pursuing higher learning and gratitude for the opportunities he’s been given.
I was born in Ontario, Canada to American parents, giving me dual citizenship. For years I thought this might provide some special privileges or skills when it comes to poutine, moose wrangling or maple syrup. Alas, this is not the case. Instead, carrying two passports only seems to reward me with additional airport security screenings. At the age of 5, our family moved back to upstate New York where I forgot how to speak French and quickly learned all about lake-effect snow and how to shovel it. As a teenager, I grew up in the ‘80s with the rest of the feral Gen X children. Fortunately, this era existed before recorded history and all incriminating evidence is lost. After a brief, unremarkable and unfinished college career, I joined the United States Navy in 1992.
I attended boot camp in sunny San Diego, completed Aviation Electronics A School in Millington, Tenn., and then joined my first (and last) duty station in Virginia Beach, Va. For about 15 years, I worked on F-14 Tomcat radar systems. Over that period, I completed five deployments on various aircraft carriers in support of many operations, such as Restore Hope, Provide Comfort, Southern Watch, Desert Strike, Sharp Guard, Deny Flight and Enduring Freedom. Later in my career, I taught Aviation Electronics A School and C School, earning a Master Training Specialist designation during my time at the Schoolhouse.
In 2008, I chose marriage over re-enlisting and settled in North Carolina with my wife. At that time, I took a job with a leading semiconductor manufacturing company. Different roles in their LED R&D department included manufacturing equipment, maintenance technician, process technician and shift lead in support of LED product development and pilot builds. After a number of years, the grind of overnight shift work, changes in the company/industry and a desire to live healthier prompted me to leave the company. I was ready to do something else. I thought pursuing education credentials might open up areas of employment that were closed to me previously. Another factor was a need to take advantage of GI bill money (before it disappeared) on the education I neglected years ago.
In January of 2016, I started classes at Wake Tech Community College in Raleigh, N.C. After completing an associate degree in liberal arts, I transferred to the University of Mount Olive for a bachelor’s degree program in leadership with a minor in business. As I progressed through school, I discovered that I was pretty good academically and that I enjoyed most of it.
Meanwhile, my wife’s career brought her to New Jersey while I stayed in North Carolina to finish school, settle affairs and prepare our house for sale. I joined my wife in Ewing in 2019 before graduating in December. With relocation and education finished, I began searching for a job here in bucolic Mercer County. After a year of searching, my pandemic job search was not a success.
With COVID stopping the world and trapping me in my mostly unfurnished basement lair for the better part of a year, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in management at Thomas Edison State University. I figured it wouldn't hurt to have a master's degree, and it would be right in line with the bachelor's degree in organizational leadership I already had. I could knock it out quickly, use up what remained of my GI Bill benefits and put some money in my pocket. Since I live in Ewing, right up the road from TESU, proximity and military friendliness were a couple of reasons I chose TESU. Eight-week semesters were a plus. So I enrolled in July of 2021 and finished the program in March of 2022.
Things seemed to be leaning toward normal at that point, but during Fourth of July weekend I suffered a medical event and almost died. I received a nice ambulance ride and a week-long stay at Club Capital Health in one of their lovely ICU suites. A week after recovery and release, I attended a concert and ended up catching COVID in return for my musical passions.
This brings us almost to the present day. After the near-death, light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel thing, I decided to apply to the Doctor of Business Administration program at TESU. The DBA program was not in my original plans, but I had multiple professors/mentors tell me that they thought I would do well in the program. I also like to write. School is a little bit of a creative outlet for me now.
The program has been challenging but rewarding so far, and I expect some hard work down the home stretch before I graduate with my doctoral degree. When I was an instructor in the Navy, I enjoyed teaching adult students, and I was good at it. I would like to find a place in academia, teaching, administration or otherwise. I’d also like to work with veterans in some capacity.
I would like to thank Thomas Edison State University for providing this academic opportunity. An unforeseen part of my University experience is being nominated as a student trustee. It was unexpected. I am honored to have been chosen to fill the role of student trustee. It is a responsibility I take seriously, and I look forward to serving the University and fellow students.
Two student representatives – a voting member and an alternate – are elected by the Board of Trustees at the annual meeting each September. During their first year, student trustees attend and participate in discussion at all meetings but cannot vote. Students become a voting member of the Board in their second year.
All Thomas Edison State University Board of Trustee meetings are open for viewing to the public. Meetings may be held in the Kelsey Board Room on the TESU campus or via Zoom. To register for an upcoming meeting and watch the proceedings, visit the calendar, here.