Get to Know Blackhawk’s Joab Irwin, Office of Safety & Security

Editor’s note: Over the past few years, we have been featuring spotlights on new employees and outstanding students within our campus community. We are excited to announce the launch of our new series, “Get to Know Blackhawk,” which will follow a Q&A format, allowing a more simple yet conversational approach to sharing the stories of individuals connected to the college. 

What is your name and where did you grow up?

Joab Irwin. I grew up in the Rockford area.

What is your role at Blackhawk Technical College?

I am a part-time armed security officer at the Office of Safety & Security and started in late April.

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

I graduated from the Police Training Institute (PTI) at the University of Illinois Champaign/Urbana in 1998. I was a police officer at the Rock Valley College Police Department in Rockford and retired from there in 2022. While working at Rock Valley College, I earned an Associate of Arts degree.

Is there something that drew you to this career?

I started working in law enforcement in 1993. I worked in a higher education setting for the last 25 years of my career. I didn’t plan on working in a security role after I retired, but I enjoy working in a campus environment and helping students and staff. Besides working at Blackhawk, I also work part-time as an armed public safety officer at Rockford University, a private four-year university in Rockford.

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

During my years in law enforcement, I dealt with a wide variety of situations and helped people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Besides dealing with emergency and non-emergency situations, I’ve been involved in many administrative assignments. This has included Clery Act compliance, crisis intervention, emergency planning & management, Title IX, and many other compliance tasks.

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

I’ve only worked at the college for a few months, but I’ve noticed that Blackhawk has some very dedicated instructors and staff members. Blackhawk also has well-maintained and updated facilities and equipment.

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

I have been happily married for 26 years and we have three children. We also have a 7-year-old American Bullweiler dog who is very spoiled.

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

My wife and I are Disney fanatics. My two part-time retirement jobs support our Disney World addiction. We are annual passholders and visit the Disney parks several times a year.  I’m also a huge Star Wars fan and own a couple of lightsabers (non-functional of course).

What is your favorite movie?

“Back to the Future”

What is your favorite quote?

I have two favorite quotes:

“There is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps.” – Ronald Reagan.

“Life is composed of lights and shadows, and we would be untruthful, insincere, and saccharine if we tried to pretend there were no shadows.” — Walt Disney.

What would be your dream car to own?

Subaru WRX or BRZ.

What's one song that must always be on your playlist?

“Blue Clear Sky” by George Strait.

What is your dream vacation destination?

Any of the Disney parks around the world!

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

Walt Disney.

What is your favorite TV show?

“Seinfeld,” but I like a lot of reality shows like “Below Deck” and the various “90 Day Fiancé” shows.

If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?

The ability to fly.

What is your favorite book or who is your favorite author?

“The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

Pepperoni.