A desire to share his professional experience and education while enhancing the education of students and investments in our community led Patrick Leahy to serve on Metro's Board of Governors. Leahy, who represents District 1, is serving a term that runs through 2008.

Leahy believes the current board has diverse backgrounds, interests and skills that represent the varied spectrum of the community quite well. Most of the 11 members share a common goal for excellence in student instruction and community responsiveness.

"I strive to be a board member who listens, researches issues and works for the greatest common benefit for the four-county district, putting long-term solution and value over short-term, short-sighted fixes,” Leahy said.

Leahy plans to spend some time working with Metro faculty, staff and administration developing a plan to prioritize and re-allocate limited resources for the benefit of the community served.

He would like Metropolitan Community College keep a balance between the academic transfer and vocational technical education. He sees a need for both areas and would like Metro to partner with more higher education institutions as well as high schools, while continuing to be the leader in vocational technology education. “The quality education at Metro is the best educational value in our community,” Leahy said.

Leahy started work with HDR in 1993. He has been involved as an architect and project manager for several large civic planning and design projects, including the Joslyn Art Museum, Durham Western Heritage Museum, Iowa Western Arts Center, office buildings, hospitals, high schools, university buildings, parking garages, a few homes and other civic projects. He holds both bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He worked to pay his own way through school.

While earning his master's degree at UNL, Leahy worked on a new curriculum for the architecture program. He was also a graduate assistant who taught two architecture courses during four graduate semesters. Since getting his degree, he has participated regularly in student reviews and has led a team that taught a web page design course.

Leahy was the 2002 President of the American Institute of Architects, Omaha chapter. Former positions have included his Neighborhood Association board, Parish Board and Elementary School representative and president of the Church Parish Council. He and his wife, Wendy, are the parents of four children. Wendy operates a pre-school daycare.

To contact the board, call (402) 457-2257 or e-mail board@mccneb.edu