By Kyle Peveto, Page Editor
Almost five years after beginning his career at ACU, Brian England, director of Judicial Affairs, will be leaving after the fall semester.
England will be joining his wife and daughter in the Dallas area, where Christy England has already begun work as an administrator at Dallas Christian Schools.
“My plan is to attend law school next fall at SMU [Southern Methodist University],” England said.
Studying law held England’s interest for years before he actually took the steps of taking the Law School Admission Test and applying at schools.
“I studied for the LSAT for the last three years and never took it,” he said. “Last year, at Thanksgiving, we were driving … and Christy said, ‘Why don’t you take it this year?'”
Brian did well enough to be accepted into SMU.
Though England worked as a Garland police officer before coming to the university in 1999, his legal interests are not based in criminal law.
“I’m not interested in… going to trials or court,” he said.
Instead, he is interested in working in the corporate field or in education as a university’s legal counsel or possibly teaching law.
Whether as a member of the police force, a residence hall director or director of Judicial Affairs, England has been drawn to careers that involve helping those in trouble and working out conflict.
“I’ve found myself in jobs since I was 22 in positions of meeting people in conflict-in either legal trouble or some other trouble-and helping them through that,” he said.
Working in law, he sees further opportunities for helping others in a career he is drawn to.
“It can help me grow as other people grow,” England said. “I’ve seen the outcome of certain decisions. It’s helped me make decisions in my life.”
England lives in Edwards Hall in an apartment next to the director and sees his wife and 5-year-old daughter on weekends.
“I’m looking forward to that changing,” he said.
England does enjoy mixing socially with the residents of Edwards while his family is away on weekdays.
Next year, the Englands will begin building a house in Forney, northeast of Dallas, and Campus Life administrators will be busy trying to fill the void.
“We may or may not have anyone hired for the spring,” said Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life, “which means I’ll take over his duties.”
Leaving the university has not been easy for the England family.
“This is a much tougher move than moving from Dallas five years ago,” Brian said. “When I quit as a police officer and moved here to finish my degrees, we viewed it as a necessity. We weren’t prepared at all.”
Upon moving to Abilene, Brian found work as an assistant director at Mabee Hall, and Christy began working for Dr. Charles Siburt, associate dean for ministry programs and services.
“Leaving her job was probably the toughest thing,” England said. “She loved working for Dr. Siburt. He’s probably been the biggest influence in our lives.”
England said he and his wife have mixed feelings about leaving ACU, but they have not left the school behind them.
“We would like to maybe work our way back here,” he said.
