Skidmore Spotlight: Amon Emeka
Amon Emeka is an associate professor of sociology who teaches courses on population dynamics, immigrant adaptation and statistical methods.
When he is not on campus, Emeka is likely on his mountain bike in the backwoods or 鈥渙n the buttery smooth Tri-City BMX track in Rotterdam.鈥�
It鈥檚 not just a hobby, Emeka is a decorated competitor, recently zooming into first place in a New York State BMX championship.
鈥淚 love BMX! When I head full-out to the first jump, I feel like my 10-year-old self, like there is nothing else in the world but a jump in front of me and guys on either side of me trying to get to that first turn before I do. I will admit that I do not feel like I am 10 when I fall, but that鈥檚 what pads are for,鈥� said Emeka.
Recalling his championship run, Emeka said, 鈥淚 passed through the preliminary round without much trouble, but in the final, a 鈥榢id鈥� got to the first turn first and 鈥榗losed the door鈥� on me at every turn after that. He left me just enough room to make a move coming out of the last turn and I took the race by a wheel.鈥�
Before joining Skidmore in 2013, Emeka taught at the University of Southern California but he 鈥渁lways longed for smaller, more engaged classes.鈥�
鈥淲hile some enjoy the anonymity of a large campus, I prefer the intimacy and familiarity that our small campus facilitates,鈥� said Emeka. 鈥淏eing a professor at Skidmore is just how I imagined being a college professor when I was in school.鈥�