Get to Know Blackhawk’s Abby Mindham, Social Science Instructor

Welcome to our “Get to Know Blackhawk” series, which uses a Q&A format to showcase the diverse and talented individuals within the college community.

What is your name and where did you grow up?

Abby Mindham. I grew up in Milwaukee.

What is your role at Blackhawk Technical College?

Social Science Instructor

What was your journey to this role? Where did you go to school? What did you study?

I went to UW-Whitewater for my undergrad, where I double majored in Spanish and Criminology. I went immediately on to UW-Milwaukee for graduate school. In Milwaukee, I earned a Master of Social Work and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Criminology.

Is there something that drew you to this career?

I had a professor in my undergrad program that I had a great relationship with. I was a student researcher under him and he helped to foster my love for learning and academia. His research project was investigating unmarked graves, and it was a great experience to have such a caring mentor. We still keep in touch today and he continues to be supportive and helpful in both my career and academics.

What skills do you possess that you believe will help you in this position?

Having a background in social work, I think I have some good empathy and communication skills. I worked at the Milwaukee Women’s Correctional Center as a social worker, which exposed me to a very diverse group of people who I had to learn to work with and teach. I also was recently a student myself (during COVID times), so I am somewhat familiar with the student experience as far as technology and fully online courses go.

What is something Blackhawk offers that you feel other colleges do not?

Blackhawk offers a lot of flexibility. The dual-credit program for high schoolers is also a great opportunity to help students get ahead in their academic careers as well as save money. It is a great route for a lot of students.

What is your life like outside of work? Family? Community involvement? Adorable pets?

I live with my partner, and we have an 8-year-old cat named Lipton. We adopted her about a year ago, and the shelter believes she was previously a stray, so she has seven years of cuddles to make up! I also have a 19-year-old chihuahua that I grew up with, but she stays in Milwaukee with my parents. We plan almost weekly game nights with a group of friends, so we’re always on the hunt for new board games to try. When we can’t schedule time with friends, there are a few weekends that we spend in pajamas watching movies.

Tell us something about yourself you think people would be surprised to know.

My job prior to working at Blackhawk was as a medicolegal death investigator with the Rock County Medical Examiner’s Office. My job included going to death scenes, taking photographs, investigating the scene, and doing a full body exam.

If you could pick any foreign country to travel to, which one would you pick?

I would love to experience the rainforest biome, so I would love to travel to a South American country to experience that!

What is your favorite movie?

This is like picking my favorite hypothetical child, but “Gladiator” is just one of my favorites.

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Mint chocolate chip

If you could have dinner with anybody, alive or dead, who would you choose?

Steve Irwin. I have always respected him and his work. I would love to be able to chat with him!

If you could be any TV character, who would you choose and why?

Most of the TV shows I watch tend not to be universes I would want to be involved in, but I suppose I would pick a contestant on “The Amazing Race.” I grew up watching it and I have always been curious as to what the experience is actually like behind the scenes.

What/who is your favorite book or author?

My favorite book is “Slaughterhouse-Five.” My favorite author as a whole is Terry Pratchett.

If you could have any superpower, which one would you pick?

Shapeshifting. It would just be a lot of fun, even if it wouldn’t be super useful.

What was your favorite cartoon as a kid?

“Zoboomafoo” was my favorite show as a kid.

What’s one thing on your bucket list?

To see an ocelot in the wild. They are my favorite animals and would love to see one outside of a zoo, one of the reasons I would love to see the tropics of South America.

What is your dream vacation destination?

Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland with my mom. I have been there, but the whole time I was thinking about how much she would love it, so my dream vacation would be to be there with her.