Joseph Gonzalez

Joe moved into the Living Learning Center in July 2003 with a clear mission: to serve as Watauga’s faculty-in-residence and director of “the L,” as it came to be known.

For the next seven years, he lived with Wataugans, taught them, ate with them, and even traveled with them—taking groups wherever his classes led. As Joe quickly discovered, Watauga is all about connecting academic learning with lived experience.

In 2010, university reorganizations required him to leave Watauga. However, in 2018, he rejoined the faculty, eager to once again teach in a program he cares deeply about.