He attributed his success to his students, Lawrence J. McKenzie Jr. has excelled as an educator for over two decades across several institutions. Since 2002, he has been active as a professor of English, philosophy, and ethics at West Virginia University at Parkersburg, where he has also served as an instructor and professor of composition and rhetoric from 1998 to 2012 and a professor of religion philosophy in 2010. In addition, he has served on numerous committees at the school, including Faculty Senate, presented conference papers, organized campus events, worked tirelessly to publish West Virginia authors, and accrued such honors as Unsung Hero Award, President’s Award for Teaching Innovation, and SGA Faculty Member of the Year Award. Previously, he has worked as a paralegal at a local criminal defense firm in Parkersburg, taught composition and literature at West Virginia State College, taught humanities at the University of Charleston, and was an adjunct instructor of British Literature II at Marietta College.

While a student at the University of Charleston in the early 1990s, Mr. McKenzie was an associate pastor and theological intern at United Methodist Church and at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, and a community youth director at Ostrander United Methodist Church. Upon earning a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and religion in 1994, he went to the Pontifical College Josephinium and The Methodist Theological School, serving as an associate pastor and ultimately attaining a Master of Arts in theological studies at the latter institution in 1998. Amid his teaching career, he pursued postgraduate coursework in computers and pedagogy at Ohio University and currently wishes to focus his doctoral study on philosophy, theology, logic, and ethics. Mr. McKenzie has studied numerous languages, including Archaic and Koine Greek, Spanish, Hebrew, and German.

Outside the lecture hall, Mr. McKenzie serves his local community as president of the second-largest nonprofit organization in West Virginia and contributes to the Gear Up For Success (GUS) Innovation in Technology program—he even won the Erik J. Bitterbaum President’s Award for Innovation in Technology. He’s active as a member of numerous organizations connected to his industry, including the Modern Language Association of America, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, West Virginia Association Development Educators, National Council Teachers of English, and American Philosophical Association.

In his spare time, Mr. McKenzie enjoys reading, writing, fly fishing, traveling, and being with his partner, Ron, who he says helps him to be a better and more gracious and giving person.