Buddy Parker has been employed by Faulkner University, Birmingham Campus since 1997 becoming fulltime lecturer in 2015 teaching various subjects. He started teaching Speech and Theater as his first master’s degree in Communication Arts was obtained from the University of Montevallo. He earned his second master’s degree from West Alabama in Psychology and Counseling. He immediately filled a need for Intro to and Developmental Psychology. After further graduate work in Counseling from West Alabama and Faulkner online, he began to teach various Counseling courses. He also has graduate work in Abnormal Psychology at Harvard and Energy Management from NYIT. Currently, he is working on his doctorate in Psychology at California Southern University, along with completing his 3rd master’s degree from Faulkner University (Go Eagles) in Christian Counseling and Family Ministry. He has applied to the State of Alabama to become an Associate License Counselor in the future. In the summer of 2018, he completed the Faulkner course to teach online.
Citing his popularity and ministerial care for his students, he was encouraged by a Birmingham Director to seek more graduate studies in Humanities from California State – Dominguez Hills – in order to teach Western Cultural Heritage I, II and III, now The Western Tradition I and II. Buddy’s students in these classes dubbed him, “The Renaissance Man”, a nickname he dearly loves.
He also has been with Alabama Power for 37 years, currently as an Industrial Account Manager/Engineer in Major Accounts, serving the largest 250 accounts in mining and primary metals. Before employment with this utility, Buddy was a radio announcer/disc jockey for WLPH Radio (Gospel Music) and WYDE (Country) owned by Columbia Pictures, and he still does much voiceover work for Alabama Power and other companies.
Throughout his adult life and continuing to this day, Buddy is a minister for the Churches of Christ and has preached over 1500 sermons. He is also Chaplain and master’s division boxer and Certified by the USA Boxing Association as Coach and Judge for a 501-c3 organization in Birmingham, called, “Fight4Life” working with disadvantage youth through sanctioned boxing and promoting physical and mental wellness.
“It has been rewarding to see the growth and progress at Faulkner since I began my teaching career here. We have added to the numbers of English faculty and have also seen an increase in the numbers of English majors. Working with students, and the dedicated faculty, makes Faulkner an exciting place to be. The emphasis on bringing glory to God defines who we are and gives purpose to all we try to accomplish.”