Christina Tarabicos

Q: What is your favorite thing about working at Delaware Tech?

“Besides our amazing students? Our coworkers! We have some of the most fun, creative, supportive, bright, and hard-working people around. I have learned so much from them – from compassion to classroom techniques – that have made me a better person and educator. It takes a quick walk down the hallway – a laugh here, a hug there, and a happy, smiling greeting. It’s teacher heaven! The way this staff cares for the students and for each other is truly remarkable.  I’m so lucky not only to have wonderful coworkers but also lifelong friends.”

Q: Why was it important for you to work at Delaware Tech?

"There is such value in this college. We are truly a direct pipeline to providing jobs and growth to the state of Delaware. I wanted to be a part of that and help students be the best communicators and thinkers that they could be as they prepare to be in the workforce.”

Q: Describe your first day at Delaware Tech. What was that experience like?

“My first day was surreal. Since I was an adjunct for three years in Stanton/George before I landed my full time position at Owens, it was so wonderful to have a “home base” instead of being a traveling circus. My department chair had a sign on my office door that welcomed me, and I truly felt like I had found my home. Everyone was so friendly and accommodating – I jumped right in and got myself to work. My departmental mentor, Alison Hughes, took me on a tour of the campus, and I was in awe. I met a ton of people on that walk. By the end of the day, I knew I made the right choice in coming here and was thanking my lucky stars!”

Q: What changes have you seen in yourself since you started working here?

"I’m much more calm. I think it comes from the fact that I know that I have so much support surrounding me every single day that I find myself taking greater risks. It’s an amazing sense of freedom when one has the freedom to fail.” 

Q: Do you have a favorite memory from your time at Delaware Tech thus far?

"There are so many! I could name a dozen times when I’ve laughed until my cheeks and stomach hurt and a dozen instances in the classroom when one of my students brightened up with that “ah-ha!” moment. But if I had to settle on one, I have to pick my second graduation ceremony that I attended as an instructor. While the first one was truly memorable, it was the second where I felt as though I really understood the magnitude of the day. The whole day leading up to the graduation was a ton of fun – getting to chat with students and friends and colleagues without one of us having to run here or there. We enjoyed our time lining up, clapping for the students, and having lunch at the picnic by the pond. We were just giddy and caught up in the excitement of the day. Getting ready in our offices, having our “hood guru” Debbie O’Donnell fix our gowns (that year I had on green), calling down our “happy hallway” for extra bobby pins – there is just nothing like it. But most of all, what I remember that day was how much the importance of this “job” really hit me. As I looked over the crowd and the graduates, I was struck by how hard these students worked to get to where they were that day. I was truly humbled that despite all of their challenges, they still made it, still achieved that goal. And I knew how they felt:  I worked so hard to earn that seat at graduation that I felt as though it was my day too. One thing that I will never forget was something from (commencement speaker) Matt Haley’s speech that night. He said, “I don’t HAVE TO wake up to go to work.  I GET to wake up and go to work.”  I had chills because he was right – and as I glanced around my colleagues at that moment, we were all silent and nodding our heads in agreement. That moment summed up everything to me – we have students that work hard, teachers, staff, and administrators that work hard, and we are all working toward the same goal. It was inspiring.”

Q: What’s something people may not know about you?

“Speaking of loving live music, I’m a closet hippie. I have been to over 100 Phish shows all over the country.”