MOSES LAKE - Heritage University's Moses Lake school has a new director, John Bartkowski, Ph.D.

Bartkowski started at Heritage July 1.

He has been an educator since 1972 and moved to Grant County 20 years ago when he accepted a position as an elementary school principal in Warden, he said.

Bartkowski's predecessor, Pete Erickson, retired from Heritage in June.

While Bartkowski said education was always in the back of his mind as a career choice, he wasn't very focused in college.

He started college right after high school, he said. It was during the Vietnam War and he lost his exemption from the draft because he dropped below 12 quarter hours and was no longer considered a full-time student. When he received a draft notice, he enlisted in the Navy.

"As soon as I was in boot camp, I was real focused," he said.

After leaving the Navy, he returned to school and finished his degree.

In addition to working as a teacher and principal - he was most recently the principal at Moses Lake Christian Academy - Bartkowski worked with colleges of education at several universities, including Heritage University, Washington State University, Central Washington University and Eastern Washington University, working with student teachers.

"I had worked for Heritage over the years as an adjunct professor teaching classes and also (as) a university facilitator for student teachers," he said.

Erickson told Bartkowski he was retiring and asked if it was a position he'd be interested in.

"I said, 'well sure,' so I applied for it."

"It's an interesting job because there's a definite link between Big Bend Community College and Heritage University," he said, noting that Central Washington University offers programs at Big Bend as well. "It's a nice link for students that want to stay in the community and not leave and attain a degree."

Bartkowski, who is originally from Western Washington, said one of the things he appreciates the most about the area is the weather.

"It doesn't rain here," he said with a laugh.