Herman D. Ware Jr.
Work place: MU Extension — Fiscal Administrative Management
Title: Post-Award Grant Coordinator/Administrative Associate II
Years at MU: I started as an SOS temporary employee in October of 2000, and I became a full-time employee within a year.
Undergraduate/graduate education: I attended Truman State University (formerly Northeast Missouri State University) and graduated with a BA in economics with a specialization in mathematics. I am currently enrolled as a master’s student in the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (ELPA) program at Mizzou. My aspirations are to attain a master of education in higher education.
Hometown: Chicago (“Chi-Town”)
What are your current job duties?
I provide post-award accounting over grants and contract expenditures for MU Extension. Within these duties, I review, interpret and ensure compliance for grants and contracts awarded to MU Extension through reporting functions specific to our division, reconciling and monitoring grant activities.
What is your favorite part about working at Mizzou?
Even though I am a full-time employee of Mizzou, I am also a graduate student at Mizzou. Prior to joining MU Extension, I worked in Student and Auxiliary Services. Through my manager’s encouragement, I applied and gained acceptance into the ELPA program at Mizzou.
When I transferred to MU Extension, I found the leadership to be as accepting of my educational aspirations as my former department. On a grander scale, this showed me that management in two different divisions of Mizzou was equally committed to adults returning to school to complete their educational goals. As a nontraditional student, this spoke volumes to me.
What is most demanding/challenging about your job?
The part of my job that is most demanding is understanding the specific requirements that our sponsors place on each of our grants or contracts.
How do you meet these challenges?
If there’s one lesson I’ve learned since being first employed with the University of Missouri, it’s to ask questions!
If you weren’t doing this for a living, what would your dream job be?
Actually, I’m already following the pathway of my dream job. I’ve worked in a fiscal/ administrative capacity for about 10 years, and I will look to add a programmatic component to my career path in the next 10 years. I believe the culmination of my path leads me to attaining a position as an educational administrator within Mizzou.
How do you spend your time away from the university?
As an ordained minister and consecrated bishop in the church, when I’m not at work or studying for school, I spend a great deal of my time in ministry and with our local church.
Also, I make room for my kids and wife by making sure I am accessible to them at any point and time during the day. My wife, Karla, and I have a date night with our kids — Kailey Morgan, 6, and Herman D. Ware III, 4. — at least one day a week because we feel it’s important that we do something together to make sure we all remember who’s the most important in our lives — each other.
What is your favorite music?
I studied the piano, classically, from the ages of 3 to 16 under three teachers. My last teacher was my most inspirational one, Mrs. Julian. Because of my teacher’s reputation for producing gifted piano students, I annually competed at the Chicago Conservatory of Music against students from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Through these friendships, I developed an appreciation of all genres of music. As such, my favorite music depends on the particular setting I find myself: church (gospel), dinner with my wife (jazz), driving down the highway (whatever keeps me awake on the highway).
What is your favorite sport?
Hands down — track and field. Having competed in high school and in college, I recall establishing great friendships and having great rivalries with the same friends.
“I’ve worked with Herman for just over a year now. The thing I most enjoy about working with him is his attitude. He is always positive and professional regardless of the situation at hand. He is always eager to help others and is friendly to everyone he encounters.” — Jamie Holliday, senior accountant, gold team, Office of Sponsored Programs Administration