Teaching Credential 2012
School of Education
August 1, 2011
“America is underperforming most countries in educating our middle and high school students. I decided I would rather make a small contribution toward a solution than be a witness to the problem.”
Rick Bleil is a first-year student pursuing a Single Subject Teaching Credential. He comes to UC Irvine after over twenty years in the business world. He began his career at McKinsey & Company, a preeminent management consulting firm with offices in every major city worldwide. Mr. Bleil spent the last 15 years as General Manager and/or CEO of a handful of early-stage healthcare services and medical device companies. Most recently, he has been providing consulting and interim executive support for healthcare companies.
Mr. Bleil has a Masters in Business from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. He did his undergraduate work at Boston College, receiving a BA in both Economics and in Mathematics, summa cum laude. He, his wife, and his son live in Laguna Beach. They love the outdoors, spending most of their weekends snow skiing in Mammoth Lakes but leaving time for other passions like scuba diving and hiking.
When reflecting upon his decision to leave his business career and turn his focus to teaching, Rick had the following comments:
I have had the opportunity to meet and, in a few cases, work with some of the nation’s most prominent business leaders – people who have risen to positions of great power and prestige. And yet, as I think about those individuals whom I have met along the way who truly inspired me and captured my respect, most have been teachers. As I have watched my son’s education and my own, I have been blessed with the opportunity to see firsthand individuals who have truly mastered their craft. Individuals who can instill a love of learning in a child and can push them to work harder and achieve more than that student thought possible.
As for me, I hope I am able to develop into a teacher who can ignite a spark in a child. Today I can walk into a company that is in total disarray and I know exactly what to do. But, as I think forward to my first day in front of 30 hungry middle school minds, it’s all too clear that I am truly starting over again. There is a lot of learning and apprenticeship ahead.
Wish me luck!