Our Spotlight Award winner for March is Stephen Stanton!

Stephen Stanton is a Library Information Specialist II with the Geology Library, and has been with MU Libraries for 19-20 years, he thinks.

Stephen is originally from Texas (he declines to specify a city), and says this about his educational background: “Lots of unrelated things.  History of science, geology, 19C England and America.  Evolution, both the mechanics and the history.  German and French.  Gilded Age.  What wars are really about as opposed to what people think they are about.”

The coolest place that Stephen has ever visited is the Isle of Skye.  “I’ve been in a bad mood since I left the Isle of Skey in 1986.”

In a movie of his life, Eric Idle would play Stephen, and Monty Python’s Galaxy Song would be on the soundtrack.  He would be thrilled to be featured in the magazine The New Yorker, and his favorite pair of shoes that he has owned was a pair of Vasques.  If he could have a drink with any fictional or real person, it would be Paul Fussell.  They would drink bourbon, neat (and Stephen only rarely drinks bourbon.)

Stephen’s favorite snacks and foods:  “Raw onions.  Hot peppers.  Avocados with hot salsa and a V8.  Bananas.  Beans and rice and cornbread with greens and lots of fresh vegetables.”

Stephen and his family have a black lab.  Stephen calls himself a “swim dad, wrestling dad, and artists’ dad” and says that he used to enjoy woodworking before he had kids.  His own leisure time activities include swimming at the Rec Center, and he tries to swim every day.  He also spends time maintaining his house.

Stephen says, “I really like working with the people in Geology.  I like the sense of community in Columbia.  I never go anywhere without seeing people I know.  Columbia has been good for my family.”

Congratulations, Stephen!