David RebarLab Manager/Software Support Specialist
David Rebar appreciates the finer things in life. Like close family, a dynamic church community, and good friends. Recently he's taken up surfing, high performance kite flying, and river rafting, but he keeps family, church, and friends as his centering points.
A Tacoma native and Franklin Pierce High School graduate in 1996, David attended Western Washington University for a degree in business administration with an emphasis on management information systems. He had been interested in computing technology for many years, so that dimension in his college education quickly came to the forefront. With encouragement from Michelle and Keith Folsom, whom David had met through his church, Lutheran Church of Christ the King, he began volunteering for computer-related work in PLU's School of Natural Sciences. At that time he also got to know David Allen and many others working in Information Resources, so when the opportunity arose it was an easy transition into his current position of UC Lab Manager and Software Support Specialist.
Education and employment opportunities may come and go, but family and friends are what give David the greatest satisfaction. He has two older sisters, each with two-year-old daughters, and he remains close to both his siblings and his parents. Just now he's living in the house he grew up in, not far from campus, but is actively looking to buy a new home now that he's becoming financially secure. Meanwhile, he's an active hiker, golfer, and paint-baller and is constantly taking up new hobbies. "I hang out with a group of friends who are always finding fun new things to do," he says. "The only problem is that they're usually very expensive!"
The attraction of family and friends might not always be strong enough to keep him here, though. David does want to travel and despite being close with his family does not necessarily feel committed to this region. Chances are he will indeed indulge his wanderlust, at least for a time. But wherever it takes him, David will continue to seek the finer things in life -- good friends, an active church community, and lots of real or virtual contact with family.