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Ep. 0010 | Building Legacy Through Access and Authenticity
24 Plays16 days ago
What does it really take to build a life of impact?
In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, Dr. Peter Eley shares his powerful journey—from a small town in North Carolina to the leadership ranks of higher education. Through resilience, faith, and an unwavering commitment to access, Dr. Eley shows how legacy isn't about titles—it's about lifting others along the way.
From math to mentorship, from family sacrifices to global opportunities, Dr. Eley’s story reminds us:
- Why ownership and responsibility go hand in hand
- How access and exposure can change the course of a life
- Why living out loud is the truest form of leadership
🎧 Tune in now and be inspired to walk in your purpose, unapologetically.
Connect with Dr. Eley on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or via his website drpetereley.com
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Transcript
Introduction to 'The Greatness Router'
00:00:08
Speaker
This is The Greatness Router, where we connect purpose to process one conversation at a time.
00:00:25
Speaker
Welcome, welcome, welcome back to another brilliant episode of The Greatness
Introducing Dr. Peter Ely: A Trailblazer in Education
00:00:31
Speaker
Router. I am your host, Zena E.M. Conway, and I am so excited for today's guest. We have Dr. Peter Ely. I met Dr. Ely probably back in what, 2016?
00:00:45
Speaker
Was it 2016? and I think it was. yeah Back in 2016, he is a a trailblazer and a powerhouse. And I'm so excited to just bring his energy and his expertise and his journey to the table.
00:01:01
Speaker
um Dr. Peter Ely is a dynamic educator, leader and mentor dedicated to shaping the future of education. As the interim dean and full professor at Alabama A&M University's College of Education, Humanities, and Behavioral Sciences, he sees over 1,500 students and 120 faculty members across 29 different academic programs, including two PhD tracks.
00:01:29
Speaker
He is a mathematician at heart. Dr. Ely holds degrees from Elizabeth City
Dr. Ely's Academic Background and Mentorship
00:01:34
Speaker
State University. Go Broncos. and so youph from There you go. Oh, I did say Broncos. I'm sorry. Look, look, he used to work in Fayetteville State too, but we'll we'll get we'll get to that. broncos That's a part of my life. I'm okay with that.
00:01:47
Speaker
Okay, we'll go with that. Shout out to the Vikings. My apologies. you know we're We're here for riding the ship. you know um And a PhD in mathematics education. His career spans K through 12 and higher education, where he served as a professor, administrator, and consultant, always advocating for equity, technology, and policy-driven solutions to improve student success.
00:02:12
Speaker
His impact goes beyond just the classroom. Dr. Ely has consulted for NASA, guided future STEM leaders, and received prestigious awards, including the UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award.
00:02:26
Speaker
Passionate about leadership and mentorship, he blends storytelling, humor, and deep expertise to inspire the next generation of educators and innovators.
Icebreaker Questions for Dr. Ely
00:02:35
Speaker
Without further ado, I have to bring the homie, Dr. Peter Ely, to the stage. How are you?
00:02:42
Speaker
I am great. And thank you for having me. And thank you for that warm, very warm introduction. You know, it's the truth. I love the truth. And it sets you free.
00:02:53
Speaker
It will set you free straight like that.
00:02:57
Speaker
okay So I have a few starter questions. I always like to ah break the ice, not only just for you so that we can get comfortable, but for our our hour, because I like to share our audiences here, our audience, just so that they can get to know who you are from, on you know, on different
Unexpected Reactions to Dr. Ely's Teaching
00:03:15
Speaker
levels. So my question to you Dr. Ely, is you've spent your career making math and educating and education more engaging.
00:03:27
Speaker
What is the most unexpected reaction you've ever gotten from a student when teaching math?
00:03:36
Speaker
Unexpected. Unexpected. Or funny, I have funny here, but you know, I'm not sure that that truly applies. the The most unexpected reaction from teaching Matt, maybe not just Matt, we can do teaching in general.
Teaching Philosophy: Ownership of Ideas
00:03:51
Speaker
Well, think they realize that realized that they more know more than what they really give themselves credit for. I think education in itself is one of those things is innate and it's inside of you. And so it's my job to kind of chisel away at the rock and so that you can see it.
00:04:07
Speaker
So I do a lot of questioning and just kind of leading you. But these a lot of times you know these answers. And and when you come to a point that, you know, you believe you know the answer and when you come to a point that you discover that you have a tendency to believe that, because always tell my students, my job is to get you to understand that.
00:04:26
Speaker
How do I say My job is to get you to and understand my idea is really your idea because everybody always loves their own idea.
00:04:37
Speaker
OK, Inception. i like I like that. I used to teach something similar um to to my students. Like you want the idea to be so organic that someone else believes that they came up with it. So I agree with you. Yeah. And and so you think about it.
00:04:55
Speaker
I've not met anybody yet who don't like their own idea. So if I can convince you that really my idea is really your idea, you can always believe you because it's your idea.
00:05:06
Speaker
And so now you, what I'm getting at, you get this thing, now you own it. So it's ownership. And so when you have ownership, you take responsibility for it because you own it. That's what ownership really means is that right I have responsibility, right right? And so now that I have responsibility for it, I want to take care of it because I want to take care of something that belongs to me.
00:05:25
Speaker
you know as You know, when people talk about like you renting something, you know, it's kind oh, I treat you like this, whatever, because I know it really ain't mine. But when it's yours, It's a little different. You created little different thing. Right. And so I think that's what I've been doing throughout my career.
00:05:38
Speaker
And it was one of those things that I figured that out early on in my own career. Once I started teaching myself and I knew I had it, i was okay. And that's why my math thing kind of took off because math is one of those things. There's not one way to always get the right answer.
00:05:54
Speaker
um It's a set of rules, right? And so long as you don't break the rules, you do whatever you want to do. Just don't break the rules. So I tell people all the time, it's like driving down the road. They say stay between this yellow line and the white line.
00:06:06
Speaker
There's really not even a rule to say you can't drive it backwards. All the day is do what? Stay between the white line and the yellow line, right? And so that's the thing. And so that's why, you know, picking up with math and other things like that,
00:06:21
Speaker
in those sciences, people are looking for a very distinct roots, discrete stuff that is always this. And that's what frustrates people because it ain't always this. right It can be this, it can be this, it can be this. All of these are possibilities and you got to see how the conditions meet to see which one makes the best sense.
00:06:37
Speaker
So today it might be this, but tomorrow it might be that. And I think that's what frustrates people because we're looking for something concrete, concrete. And I know I can guarantee it on every single time.
00:06:50
Speaker
I like that. Look at that dropping gems. I know he gave us about four of them in that one little response. Well, I have another question that i enjoy asking and I'm curious to know what you're going to
Admiration for Malcolm X
00:07:04
Speaker
say. So if you could have a candid, unfiltered conversation with any historical figure, who would it be and why?
00:07:11
Speaker
oh my goodness. Now, because I am a pastor, most people say, oh he's going to say Jesus Christ. it not, Malcolm X. Malcolm X. Malcolm has been my guy for day one.
00:07:23
Speaker
And I know some people say, why? Because I think it takes a special person to admit to the world when they're wrong and then spend their life trying correct that. I have a i deep respect for that.
00:07:35
Speaker
And so, you know, why he's been self-taught and all these things and, you know, and and really disciplined is that piece that really keeps, I keep coming back to that, you know, in my opinion, he gave his, he lost his life trying to correct his wrongs.
00:07:50
Speaker
and And being able to do that and just, as to me, that's special. You know, once he found out, okay, I believe what y'all told me, but I found out that you didn't give me all of it.
00:08:00
Speaker
And so now let me go back and try to fix the people I had already tainted. because they believed in me too. And so wanted to tell them, like, look, yeah, I was kind of right, but this is the rest of it.
00:08:11
Speaker
Wow. That's what I knew at time, right?
Educational Journey and Career Impact
00:08:14
Speaker
So I have to respect that too. And so that I've always been stuck on Malcolm for that. I respect, I like I'm here for it.
00:08:23
Speaker
i must admit, I'm a bit flabbergasted. i And I don't flabbergast easily. easily But i i that is not who I anticipated in my mind, you would say. But I love, love, love. i know people don't know that side of me, right?
00:08:37
Speaker
Right. And so, you know, you go through these things and I went through that. I mean, I went to the first Million Man March.
00:08:47
Speaker
And believe it or not, my upper bound director took me.
00:08:52
Speaker
I'm here for a trio program. I am here for a good trio program. Yeah, by the way, and I know you're asking, I'm a trio baby, and I hate seeing what these programs are potentially going through right now, because access and exposure is everything, and those programs did that for me.
00:09:05
Speaker
And I was in talent search, and I went from talent search to upper bound, upper bound to Rhonda McNair, and I earned that PhD, and I was able, and you can't see on my wall back here, but that little put on there over here to the left of me says that I'm a trailblazer from the Rhonda McNair program and getting a PhD, because That's like the ultimate thing they want you to do.
00:09:24
Speaker
that So um the TRIO program has awarded me, I think, last year, 23, I was the TRIO of the year for North Carolina. Then I was TRIO of the region. I just didn i didn't win the national.
00:09:35
Speaker
but I won the regional and the state. And it was just dope to be able to be recognized. But more importantly, I want people, I want others to know that these programs work so other people have access.
00:09:47
Speaker
And that's one of the reasons I do believe I'm a mathematician because I got access to a lot of this stuff early and I saw things early. And like, you know, and so that day, and I think it was where October 16, 1995. I'll never forget ah never forget I never seen any black men in one place in my in my life.
00:10:04
Speaker
yeah I was an upper bound mentor, so I get it. And it definitely, the young people I even got to encounter, just how open they were to more perspectives was an amazing and an enlightening experience. So yeah, shout out to the TRIO programs. I mean, I know everybody's going through, you know, rocky times, but that That program in particular is imperative and is important.
00:10:32
Speaker
um yeah I wouldn't be who I am today without that support of that program. I have no shame in saying that. And I'm a very strong advocate because it's supposed to, you don't know what you don't know.
00:10:43
Speaker
people that all the time. That's a big fact. And that's what they did for me. um They took me to places and I saw things that I didn't know that now I understand. You know what? That's possible. I love it. All right.
00:10:56
Speaker
Let's talk about the purpose behind your work because you've you've had a a mighty ah mighty journey. So if you had to pinpoint the moment you knew that education or even math was your calling, what would it be?
00:11:13
Speaker
Wow, math or education? i don't think I think it's one those things that I kind of just naturally kind of fell into. But I think the pivotal moment for me was
00:11:24
Speaker
especially on my current um trajectory was two things. Number one, I was in, I was, I started out being a computer science major. I was chasing money like everybody else. And so I'm to be computer science with a business minor.
00:11:36
Speaker
And I remember one of the professors at Elizabeth city state, Dr. Johnny Houston, shout out Dr. Houston. And he said, Ely, mayor Mathematicians are computer scientists by default.
00:11:48
Speaker
So you should consider being a mathematician. Wow. And I believed him and he was right. You know, so, because but most people don't understand at a certain point with the math, we don't just do calculators anymore. You program computers to do that stuff.
00:12:00
Speaker
Right. Right. Especially when we started doing large sets, data sets, or we're looking at theories and all this kind of thing. You start calculating things to the hundred thousand power and this kind of stuff. You ain't doing that by hand.
00:12:13
Speaker
So you have to teach the computer how to do that. And so he was right in that. So I think that started my trajectory in math. okay um But what also triggered me is that, don't know, I had this thing that I was willing to almost try anything, right?
00:12:27
Speaker
I mean, within no reason of good stuff. And for some reason, Alpha Pledged, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, shout out to Pong 97. and And I remember the guys were saying, well, we need somebody to, y'all need to get more in leadership and this kind of thing. thing no know, the older guys are encouraging us. know, I'm a neophyte.
00:12:47
Speaker
And so for some reason, I got in my head, I'm run for student government president. And I ran and I won. And um as I was disclosing, had just went back and I found the newspaper from back in 1998,
00:13:00
Speaker
eight okay I actually won and ah the stories I was telling myself then. And I actually said I won by a lot. It was like 41%. So I'm like, a sophomore doing that, that really was the moment that things changed for me.
00:13:14
Speaker
Because when it did, it gave me a new level of exposure that I never had before. I got to hang out with our president, Dr. Mickey Burnham. And i was like, I didn't know you could actually do this for a living.
00:13:26
Speaker
ah Right. And that's my life. higher ed. And I started really looking at it. So from that point on, I would go into meetings with him. i was on the board of trustees and I would get to see all this stuff, went to the CAA tournament, which was a big deal, dan all these kinds of things. And I saw a whole lot light that I never knew because my parents didn't do this kind of thing, right? You know, it weren't your traditional nine to five.
00:13:48
Speaker
So I got on my head, okay, I want to do this. And they were like, well, for you to do this, then you need to go, you have to have a master's and you're going need to be a college professor. So at that point on, the whole goal was go get a master's.
00:13:59
Speaker
Okay. You had a whole blueprint.
Challenges and Resilience in Education
00:14:01
Speaker
Yeah. And i so I did that. And when I got the master's, 9-11 happened. And because I make, you know, you keep switching. Like said, you ever seen that little picture that says success is not like this, it's really like this? Yes.
00:14:13
Speaker
And yeah and and i'm here I'm here for all of that, right? And so that's why I started. That's why I have so many degrees. Because I started out as a applied mathematician. I was doing cryptography. I was like 256-bit encryption.
00:14:26
Speaker
I was doing that early on. That's what I was doing. So my goal was I'm going to work NSA. Then 9-11 happened when I was a school, you know? And so the jobs kind of fried up. It made me fried up. They froze up.
00:14:38
Speaker
And so I ended up going home. I said, well, I'm going to go back home. And I taught at my middle school. OK. Back home. And that started my teaching in that side. And then that led to, well, not only teach. want to be the coach.
00:14:50
Speaker
So then I went to the high school to go be the basketball coach. OK. And I ended up being one the football coaches. And then it just kept leading to there until I went back and got a doctorate.
00:15:00
Speaker
I just love how ingrained you are. Like you, you are literally embedded in this process. It's not just, Oh, I want to do it because it looks like it's fun. It's, it's truly fun for you. Like this is, is your life in replay and, and in existence. And I love that for you.
00:15:21
Speaker
ah thank you. Um, It's, you know, and I know most people, you know, they see the glitz and the glamour and all this stuff, but it's truly been, you know, a lot of personal sacrifice. And I don't know if we'll get to that point, but I can, know, talk about, you know, how I've been away from my family and I've driven.
00:15:37
Speaker
oh my God. I think without the years I was Fayetteville, I drove for 13 years, two hours each way. Yeah. So people don't tell you about that part or, know, just last year I flew 80 hours.
00:15:49
Speaker
Delta sent me my little thing on how long I was on the airport. I flew 80, literally I flew almost two weeks of my life last year Yes. This last year. Work weeks. Yeah. So people, you know. Work weeks is bananas. That's yeah absolutely Well, trust me, I ain't probably ever fly that much either. But so. Potentially like we're going tit for tat. Like that's wild for two full weeks.
00:16:10
Speaker
That's a lot of time. And that actually does take us into the next one. Was there ever a time when you almost chose a different path? All the time, because, you know, it's like it's like energy. It wants to find a path with less resistance, right?
00:16:26
Speaker
Like, for instance, and and i' I'm careful how I say this, there was a time that I really thought, I'm just going to get me a PhD online. Okay. And I'm careful how say because it's not a knock on people who've done that. You know, you did what you had to do. No, really. And that's where I was.
00:16:41
Speaker
But for some reason, you know, I kept getting advice from others that don't do that. So, like I said, I drove back and forth to work for 13 years. I drove back and forth to school for five. Yeah. And to make sure that i went to a traditional school and I have zero regrets of that. It was tough.
00:16:59
Speaker
But again, I drove. So you see, I really invested that time in that and people don't know that part. So I worked full time. I was married. Well, I am still married. yeah forty twenty two Yeah. Beautiful family. ah Beautiful family.
00:17:12
Speaker
And so I drove, you know, in the afternoons, had a job that will allow me to get off. And because I had, again, mentors and sponsors are so important. And the guy was working for, he had the degree I had So he knew and he understood.
00:17:26
Speaker
And so he would let me go in the afternoons and the drive all the way to Raleigh. I was driving from Winston-Salem. I was working at Winston-Salem State. I remember those drives. Yeah, I drove from Winston-Salem State all way to Raleigh. You know what I'm talking about? do.
00:17:38
Speaker
And I made those trips, i don't know how many times, a couple of times a week yeah to go to those classes, but no regrets. I'm through mileage. Oh, guys, don't tell me. I two cars down.
00:17:50
Speaker
And I think out all the time I rode, I think my car let me down one time. um'm Look at the creator taking care of his people. i'm I'm here for it. Look. Yeah. So that's.
00:18:02
Speaker
Okay.
Guided by Faith through Obstacles
00:18:03
Speaker
All right. Well, at this point, let's talk about resilience and your process. ah Let's talk about the resilience, okay? what keeps the What keeps you in the game?
00:18:15
Speaker
And what keeps things moving smoothly? Because you are currently, you are away from your family. And you are putting a lot into you you know your current position. And you do have a lot on the line right now. So what what truly keeps you going?
00:18:33
Speaker
F-A-I-T-H. Okay. Come through faith. Walk by faith and not by sight. And so I can't see it. So I'm scared a lot. Yeah. Things can change tomorrow. Right. yeah You know, my health, and you know, as I'm getting older now and things are starting to move and this is happening, that's happening.
00:18:51
Speaker
But it's God always sends something or somebody by. Right when I'm about to quit. Okay. And it reminds me why I can't quit. Right. I mean, like clockwork. Like I was telling went the other day and I said, let me go back and look.
00:19:04
Speaker
and i And I was able to search online. And they have online archives of old compasses with the Elizabeth City State University newspaper was called. um okay And I Googled and found the old compass.
00:19:16
Speaker
And I went back and I looked at one and I saw the things that I was saying in 1998 when I was 19 years old. And i know I had a moment, I'm kind of emotional, I cried. Because I was like, wow, I said this then. And I talked about perseverance and like, why I end up being perseverance? Because I ran, at that point, I remember, it's making me kind of bump up a little bit now.
00:19:36
Speaker
I remember at school, every time I ran for something, I never won. I only won when I came to ECSU. Wow. So that was my breakthrough moment, right? Okay, right. no And so then from that point, I've been winning ever since.
00:19:49
Speaker
yeaht know And so that's that resiliency, like you said, resiliency part. It's like, okay, I hit this. They said no. I hit that. They said no. And every time it's been rejection, it's been another direction.
00:20:02
Speaker
Right. And, you know, so, and I read that even to the point I'm here at Alabama right now, you know, I never pictured me being at Alabama A&M University. Right. And so one of the things that's kind of funny, I showed our graduate students and I kid you not to see, and I got to see I can find picture for you.
00:20:19
Speaker
I was at ECSU and and this was probably like 1999. Okay. And I was rocking the Alabama A&M shirt. That is awesome. And so showed them the kids and they could see that I was clearly a young person. Like I'm vested. I said, this was already destiny. Look at that.
00:20:36
Speaker
I'm vested. Look. And so, you know, it's little things like that. When you talk about the resiliency, it's like, it pops me and say, see, you're on the right track. You didn't even know it. her You know, it's kind you see what saying?
00:20:49
Speaker
And I know people like, he got to be, I'm telling you, as i tell my step out, I can't make this stuff up. I have an awesome life. God has been good to me. I can't make this stuff up.
00:20:59
Speaker
I feel like you bring up a good point though. You bring up a good point in the sense that you didn't even, well you you did, but not by direction, if that makes Right.
00:21:11
Speaker
I don't think we take enough time or we take the the time to stop and turn around and reassess or decipher or or review what we've been through and what we've learned along the way and how that has led to where we are right now. I don't think we give enough credit.
00:21:31
Speaker
in the process or in the journey. It's kind of like in this day and time of instant gratification. It's like, I think it, I want it, I must have it now, not realizing that I may think it, but what's it going to take for me to get to to a thought, to an actual product or to a final, you know, a final accolade. So kudos, I mean, for even bringing that point to the forefront.
00:21:55
Speaker
even more, and I'm sorry, but I want to be preachy, but it's who I am. And so I often, when people like, you know, like you asked me, who would
Parallels with Joseph from the Bible
00:22:03
Speaker
I want to interview? But I think from also like, who's my favorite Bible character?
00:22:08
Speaker
say oh It's Joseph. Ah. You know, and I, because I relate to him so much, like, Joseph got himself in trouble because he was running his mouth. But he wasn't running his mouth because he was trying to brag. He was so excited about it. And so there have been things that I think may have been delayed for me and things that I've kind of got myself into that were 100% unintentional.
00:22:27
Speaker
I was just so excited. And I wanted you to be excited about it because I'm just excited about everything, as you can tell, right? That's just who I am, right? So but when Joseph was telling his brother, you know, I had this dream and y'all were bound to me.
00:22:39
Speaker
Dude, this is cool. And they but they're like, oh, no, Who are you thinking? All right, we're going to preach. know what I'm saying? He going be bound to nobody if he dead. you said You see what I'm saying? And then what? Then they end up not even killing him.
00:22:52
Speaker
Right. Which ended up being on his track to destiny. But then crazy stuff started happening to him. And he was doing the right thing. Oh, you're going to make me preach. He was doing the right thing, right? He was doing the right thing. He got accused of stuff he didn't do.
00:23:03
Speaker
I'm telling you, in this journey, I've been accused of stuff I hadn't done. Yeah. And it's like, question my integrity? And I'm like, You know, I got a family. got people who look up to me. I got children. I want them to be able to go. Those ones who get tested most, though.
00:23:17
Speaker
Right. And see my story and say, OK, my dad didn't do that. And so, you know, people that lie sometimes stick faster than the truth. And so but now, you know, to see Joseph's story at the end and then still not be bitter about it because he could have got them.
00:23:31
Speaker
But he did. And now you realize that, you know, OK, now eight or nine million people live in Egypt because of him. Right? Yeah. well And so I'm like, okay, I don't know what God going to do with my life. What is he going change?
00:23:43
Speaker
Who going to get to go to school because Peter Ely is this? I don't know. I respect that. respect that. Because I was in this space and no, they got to see this because I know how important it is for them to see this.
00:23:55
Speaker
See? Look at you. Okay. Well, that takes us to the next and next pivot point. Lessons for others. ah What is one mindset shift or practice that has helped you to succeed?
Transparency and Authenticity
00:24:12
Speaker
One mindset shift or practice, maybe something you do daily or um you know a daily routine or a a a Bible verse, that'll work too. like Well, I spend a lot of time praying. Prayer is my foundation.
00:24:32
Speaker
But also, a couple of years back, Dr. Cornel West wrote this book called Living Out Loud. OK. And I live out loud. OK. I understand that people watch my life, and they see what I go through. And so I think I have to be a living ex example.
00:24:51
Speaker
All my days ain't great days. and and And all the things I go through and stuff that's happened to because there's been some crazy stuff that's happened to me, too, that you wouldn't believe. And so I lived i just live life out loud. And to be honest, I don't care. you know Somebody said, oh, why don't you make this private? Because people looking at this and that. And like, no, that's the whole point.
00:25:09
Speaker
Because I want them to see that people go through this or I have this too. Just because I got this don't mean that this don't hurt or i don't this don't happen to me either. Because there's somebody I think I was always looking forward to.
00:25:21
Speaker
And all I saw is some of my leads always saw their perfection. I never saw when they messed And so therefore, I thought about it was a thing. but If I messed up, it was the end. Right.
00:25:32
Speaker
Because I never saw them mess up. And then when you get to have closed doors, I understand what they're saying. you know, because you can't just disclose everything to everybody. But i think I've learned more from their mess ups. Because what they told me, if they said there was a hole in that road right there, I believed them.
00:25:48
Speaker
I stand on the shoulders of giants. No doubt about it. You know, and so I would listen to wisdom. And I spent a lot of time at older people's feet. My father, when I was younger, he used to um take because he ran a social security office.
00:26:00
Speaker
So used to go to these older people's house all the time and they ended up being his friends. And from now I find myself doing that and just wanted to talk to older and those who are above me and just glean everything I can.
00:26:13
Speaker
Because i now, I mean, I really, really enjoy it I hear those stories and things I learn. And now to be in a place, now I get to talk to you know civil rights leaders and world leaders and stuff. I would never imagine that I got to do no this little country boy, getting interviewed by the New York Times.
00:26:29
Speaker
Who in the world on the New York Times want to know what I got to say? I grew up in a one-stop-light little town, less than 500 people, and I walked everywhere I went. And look at you.
00:26:40
Speaker
And so, to me, that's a testament to God and all the people who helped me get here. There was a quote that i heard T.D. Jack said one time. He said, you're ever in a field and you see a turtle on a fence post, know that he did not get there by by himself. And I'm that turtle.
00:26:55
Speaker
Yes. My dad used to say that, too. that That's part of why my dad is, why he had turtles everywhere. Really? I never knew that. See, you just taught me something. That's why our foundation has the turtle. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I did not know that. man I wondered about that, but okay.
00:27:15
Speaker
That's amazing. You see how the creator works? Look, it's just cool and terrible. We connected in that, yeah. So what I feel like you're getting at is that you own your authentic self. very authentic.
00:27:27
Speaker
No question about that. And sometimes that gets you in trouble. It does. It can. yeah they can It can. It's in trouble sometimes too. It can.
00:27:38
Speaker
But the thing I learned too, Z. And I'm sorry, let me catch you off No, you're fine. sometimes, and it's kind of funny, it's like, I've been invited to spaces because I was.
00:27:49
Speaker
And so sometimes when you get invited spaces, it's like, oh, I need to do like this and I need to be like that. And then you go in there like that and they looking at you like you're funny. Like, I thought you were coming as yourself, sir. Right.
00:27:59
Speaker
and You get there like you're supposed to act a certain way. You show up just as... see I think that's a real conversation even for our listeners. And I get there is some decorum. Don't get me wrong, right?
00:28:10
Speaker
But You know, that piece of it. And I think that's the thing that even now I still struggle with You know, I'm the dean. So do you talk like the dean? Do you do this like the dean?
00:28:20
Speaker
And like you say, no, I'm a little loud sometimes. They surely can hear me in the other office. But I'm genuine. I will love you. I'm going do everything I can. i give you the shirt off my back to make sure that you got what you need.
00:28:33
Speaker
All I need you to do is make sure you pay it forward. Because if I didn't do it, wouldn't have did it. That's true. That's very true. I'm sorry, didn't mean to cut off. No, you didn't. i The only other thing I would add to your most ah authentic expression of self is that I would implore our listeners to really recognize that everyone tends to put forward their highlight reel.
00:29:00
Speaker
And it takes a lot of B-roll to make a highlight reel. It takes a lot of real life experience to make a highlight reel. There is a lot of footage that is not being utilized and not being shown and not being expressed.
00:29:18
Speaker
that you may not be privy to. And that's why I love the concept of this podcast because we're getting into that nitty gritty of the B-roll, of the raw footage of your life that helped build this amazing person that's in front of me today. So thank you. I am going to keep giving thanks because appreciation appreciates appreciation. That's just how it is. Gratitude...
00:29:45
Speaker
that's just how it is that gratitude Gratitude is abundance. Yeah. You know? um How do you feel as though your thinking has evolved over your your your journey? Very interesting question.
00:30:03
Speaker
I've gotten wiser. That's for sure. Okay. You know, I've taken my my, you know, being authentic, you take some lumps. Yes. You know, because people feel like you need to be a certain way or for a little box or they feel like this or they feel like they can't control you.
00:30:16
Speaker
Right. Right. if Oh, no, it's not a thing like that. I'm just I'm just being who I am. You know, I can do this. And so also really learn how to be more strategic and learning into pick my battles, as they say, you know, 20, 22 years of marriage.
00:30:33
Speaker
I know what's going make my wife upset. Do I choose to do that? Do I really, you know, can I avoid that? Smart man. Yeah. You know what I mean? It's those kinds of things, right? The things that you know is gonna set it off.
00:30:48
Speaker
Even though you feel like setting it off, right? But being disciplined and and meek enough to say, you know, I could set it off, but I'm gonna let that go. And realizing that, okay,
00:31:00
Speaker
this is where's what's the real end goal? Like, yes, I might do this to beat my chest and I feel good for the moment, but I could have saved that person's dignity. so So instead of me saying, I fired this person when I really fired them, if they want to choose to say they resign, they resign. At the end of the day, it was about moving somebody out of the space that I need to move on and do whatever.
00:31:18
Speaker
And so I'm learning to make sure I choose people's dignity because that's one thing, you know, you can't, You can't, I believe you just don't take that from people. I mean, we all live this emotional rollercoaster called life.
00:31:31
Speaker
And so if I can let you walk away respectfully, it's always my goal to do that. And I've learned that. and um And so that same grace I extend to others, would hope if I ever needed it, that be extended to me as well. Back to you.
00:31:45
Speaker
I respect that. Okay. All right, Mr. Wiseman. I'm here. Okay. What, what is next for you in the sense of, what are you working on? Do you have any projects? Do you have any, any big math problems to solve? What do you, what do you have in the works?
Research on Racism in Mathematics
00:32:04
Speaker
Oh, no, i got a couple of things that I know I just can't disclose right now, but I did, I had an NSF grant and I'm, I don't know if we're going make it off the- Did you say inner self? In that self, National Science Foundation.
00:32:16
Speaker
Oh, okay. For one about 1.7 million that I've been working with some colleagues from two other universities. But I do believe we're going to be the DEI chocolate block. I'm studying racism in mathematics.
00:32:29
Speaker
Yeah. And I know people are like, well, how can math be racist? There's some way that things can be presented and they can be systemic in that they create barriers. Because I'm always studying again about I'm an access guy.
00:32:41
Speaker
How can I give more people access? Right. Because it's it's really a numbers game. You know, i so I sell insurance for a number of years. Right. It's one of my little side hustles. And believe it or not that's another misconception that people believe. Once you get a PhD or whatever, you ain't got to do no side jobs.
00:32:55
Speaker
please. I was hustling on the side selling insurance. And I did very well, by the way. And the guy used to tell us, it's a number. If you want to sell 10 policy, you better at least ask 100 to 150 people.
00:33:10
Speaker
You'll sell 10 policies, you just got to do, you it's ah it's a numbers game. The more people you ask, and then somebody's going say yes. It increases the odds. Right. And so it's the same thing.
00:33:21
Speaker
And so when I'm looking at people, someone access to STEM and us getting more um people color and STEM and this and that, the problem to me is simple. We just ain't giving up people access.
00:33:33
Speaker
If you give more people access, there's going to be a couple that's going to stick. You're looking them. Let's have a conversation. Let's go for it. Why math so difficult for our people?
The Role of Math in Problem-Solving
00:33:43
Speaker
It's not difficult for our people.
00:33:46
Speaker
People don't like following rules.
00:33:50
Speaker
ah I mean, our country's made of rebels. Come on now, right? I am not upset with that response. People don't like rules. And that's what math does. Math says, instead of rules or set of limitations, do this.
00:34:03
Speaker
Think about it. When you get a math problem, it says, you can't do this, you can't do this, but anything else you can do. And that's why most mathematicians are thinkers and problem-solving. That's why they call it problem-solving.
00:34:14
Speaker
Why? Because think about what we work with all the time. I don't have all the money, but I got this and this and this. Can I make this happen? Those variables. Right. And that's all math is doing is giving you those variables, right?
00:34:26
Speaker
Here's 2 plus X equal to 7. Find X. You see what I'm saying? I do. That makes a whole lot of sense.
00:34:37
Speaker
You can do anything that the rules say you can do. And so you can be as creative as you want to be in that space. Are there optimal ways to solve the problem?
00:34:47
Speaker
Yes, meaning that you can solve it faster. But here's the thing about problem solving that I often find, and you'll find, you'll know this from your own college experience and journey. On your way to solving the problem is so many other things you learn.
00:35:00
Speaker
And that's why it's so easy to me to kind of get sidetracked in your journey because you're like, oh, this is interesting. Let me go do this. Oh, this is interesting. Let me go do this. And then what happens is then at some point I find myself coming all the way back to where I started.
00:35:12
Speaker
It's like, oh, yeah, I'm supposed to be doing that. Right. And so like I look at my hobbies. Like, for while, I was in the classic cars. Now got these classic cars. Okay. Then I've always been a fisherman. I used to say I'm to be the first black man on Bassmasters.
00:35:24
Speaker
Right. Nice. Then as I got back in 50, I mean, in my later years, I started getting back into fishing. I started comparing the fishing and this kind of thing. So now I find myself going circles back around to stuff.
00:35:36
Speaker
And so that's kind of how life is. And so in math, we had to start. And that's geometry. Right. But in this math, we got thing called the encyclical, right? And what a cycle is, meaning it's a cycle. And you do all these permutations to it and it comes right back.
00:35:50
Speaker
And you think about even our lives, at some point, this body goes back what? To the dust that it was formed from. Right. so It's a full circle. And it's about doing what you can within those limitations.
00:36:03
Speaker
And so that's why said mathematicians are typically problem solvers. They make great lawyers. They make great doctors because they're problem solvers. You over there working on somebody's body and it don't go the way you intended it to go.
00:36:16
Speaker
What are you going to do then? This person's life is depending on You got to be able to think of something. Right. Right. You see what I'm saying? And so that's what math forces you to do. You know, people think, well well, I don't ever use the number. Right. You might not use that process.
00:36:29
Speaker
You might not use that number, but you use the thought process. Wow, I think you just changed the whole concept of math for for this entire following. That's just who it's been, right? It's about problem solving. But that's not how it's taught. That's not where the emphasis falls. And that's that's where my frustration comes in with math as a whole. Like, i honestly, being completely candid, I didn't learn math, like, I'm not going say like the back of my hand, but like the back of my hand until I started bartending.
00:36:57
Speaker
When I started bartending, I was like, oh, okay. This makes sense. Like i'm i'm I'm counting up. I'm making, you know, I'm making the proper compartmental sections that I need to process. Like, okay, here's your change. Like, you know, we're talking about quarter pours.
00:37:13
Speaker
Like I understand it a whole lot differently because I now have a, I have an application to it. And I don't think they teach application to math until like, what, we talking 11th grade?
00:37:27
Speaker
Right, but you got to think about the process first, though, right? You know, so you think about one of the things I know most people struggle with is fractions. And the biggest thing about fraction is you're not talking about a whole number.
00:37:39
Speaker
Yeah. You're talking about one thing. In parts. In parts, exactly. So yeah how many ways can you break down that at one? So anything with any percentage is really a fraction.
00:37:53
Speaker
Yeah. Right? Yeah. You know, so in most our statistics is based around this stuff. It's around these fractions of a part. So we talk about parts of something really happening and the likelihood of something happening and this stuff. So everything is under one, everything.
00:38:11
Speaker
Cause if you get the one, you a whole. I see what you did there on so many levels. They probably went over a lot of heads. hundred percent. Right.
00:38:23
Speaker
Dr. Ely. are We just having fun. We just having talking, right? We are. um But it's just, it's it's so fresh. The fact that you are getting excited over math has me just all kinds of tickling. This is what I do. So it's just, I've been blessed that it came, it just comes to me. I mean, i'll work it. Don't give them wrong.
00:38:43
Speaker
I do work at it. But I think um for me, my math started with my mom. Really? My mom is not college educated. She has five kids. And and my father my father is a graduate ECSU and all my brothers and sisters are as well.
00:38:57
Speaker
yeah Okay. Shout out to the whole Viking family. brights Right, right. But my mom is not a college graduate. And I remember very distinctly when we were children, we used to have a Christmas time. Our church used to get this hard candy that they put in bags to stick the together.
00:39:15
Speaker
and So you know nothing was sanitary. They used to put the nuts in there. You know get your little Christmas bag at at church, right? And then you get nuts and then you get apples. Just have a whole wad of stuff. Yes.
00:39:25
Speaker
And so my mom used to have a hammer and would crack some wads off that candy to give to me when she was teaching me math. I kid you not. I remember when I was two or three years old to this day, my mom's sitting there teaching me how to add and subtract.
00:39:38
Speaker
Because I was one of those babies, my birthday's in December. And then North Carolina, you had to go before October the 12th or you had to wait. So I was five and I waited a whole year to go to school. And my mom said, you're not going to be behind.
00:39:52
Speaker
And so she taught me. So I was always the big kid in school. right I was taller than everybody else whatever because I had to wait that full year. So I didn't go to kindergarten until I was six. And mom took advantage at that time because I was her oldest. That'll be my youngest son.
00:40:07
Speaker
Yeah. And so that's what happened with me. And I believe that what set me off. And now i think it's also in the blood. Because my son, I think he's to be a mathematical whiz. I'm going to be surprised if he's not.
00:40:19
Speaker
yeah He walks around doing all that number. He goes to people and give me math problem. That's what he did at 6. Now he's 7 now, right? And so large numbers. ain't going to lie. I was giving him stuff just to see. And he was getting them right. I was like, oh my God.
00:40:33
Speaker
A little human calculator. told you that. I told you that. I'm like, oh, bro, don't be don't be angryed But so, you know, I'm looking at, OK, how can we harvest that if he's going to be that? Because I know some things and be able to put him in position to say, OK, you can be doing this, this and that. And that's why exposure is so key.
00:40:54
Speaker
Because I got blessed. I got put in a lot of the right places as a high school senior. And you don't know this. I went to FAMU, Florida A&M University. I went to that one. Got in.
00:41:06
Speaker
And they were at the time they were looking for actuary science people. Most people still don't know where actually where he is. These are the people who calculate your insurance rates. Wow. Florida A&M, at that time, they may still have, they had their program. And the guy, don't know, he has some connection in North Carolina and came and recruited me. And I spent my whole summer at Florida A&M University going into my senior year at BAMU.
00:41:29
Speaker
And so, you know, I was going to be a rattler until ECSU gave me that full ride. of but I guess I'm going here. but but things like that, I got exposed to. I got exposed to the internet when I was at Fairview in high school in the 90s.
00:41:43
Speaker
They had email. I'll never forget the talking this Netscape and it took forever to come up and they talking about, it just came from the military. I got to see that stuff. niceness That's what I'm saying. Y'all thinking AOL? l No.
00:41:56
Speaker
The CD? and No, it's before the CD. Hard locking. So I got again, exposure. I saw this stuff.
00:42:07
Speaker
I saw, I'll never forget when was there that summer, they took us over to, if you know anything about Tallahassee, bam, he was here before the state.
Influences of Technology on Career
00:42:14
Speaker
It's literally across the street. So think about it in terms of where, if you didn't know anything about Raleigh, think about it in terms of North Carolina State University and Shaw University.
00:42:24
Speaker
yeah That's literally how it was. Yes. right But Shaw would have been Florida A&M and NC State would have been um of Florida State. And so they took us over where they had magnifications of, and this is when I got to see how they first started recording CDs, because this was really early on CDs, how when they really said, yeah, they really do burn it because it was making bubbles and those bubbles were read by that laser, which produced music.
00:42:49
Speaker
And I saw that stuff before I even got to ECSU. Okay, trailblazer. You see saying? So it was those kind of experiences That really, I mean, know, and the thing is, it's just not all school.
00:43:01
Speaker
It was a culture experience. I mean, they put us in a canoe in a river somewhere in Florida. And it was alligators and manatees in there. And I'm like, oh, my God. Oh, my God. This is kind stuff I got the experience, though. Right.
00:43:12
Speaker
And so I think about this and these programs. You know, want to make sure that other kids get these experiences because I really do believe those experiences did. And that's why I did what I did at Winston-Salem State. running that math and science program that was my way of giving back because i knew how important those experiences were and those kids have done very well now you know they've grown too now but they've done very well and i'm very proud of that work that we was able to do there love it okay All right. yeah We had a little nice little match.
00:43:38
Speaker
I hope y'all enjoyed that because I truly enjoyed that. All right. Here's my last question for you. um And then actually, I want you to go ahead. How can people find you? Let's start there. And then I'll ask my last question.
00:43:49
Speaker
You can go Facebook. Just put in my name, Peter Ely.
Connecting with Dr. Ely: Social Media and More
00:43:55
Speaker
peter And then you can also find me on Instagram. I got to do a little bit better there. I'm the gospel professor.
00:44:00
Speaker
I love it. Just like it sounds, all together, gospel professor. And, oh, I tweet. Just my name, Dr. Dr. Peter Ely.
00:44:11
Speaker
And he has a website, y'all. And my website is just the same, yeah Dr. Peter Ely dot com. And most you know, if you need to get me, you can get at me there. I love it. I'll make sure that ah it's in the description of this of this this talk because it's imperative. like Like you keep saying, representation matters. um So here's my final question.
00:44:34
Speaker
Okay. What is one thing that people don't know about you? Something public facing, of course. But what is one thing that people do not know about you?
Authentic Connections in Life and Work
00:44:44
Speaker
oh wow.
00:44:45
Speaker
Yeah. You're such an open book. I'm an open book. That's what I'm saying. um'm Maybe it's maybe or that Maybe it's that you are truly an open book and people don't see it that way. And now we're putting it on one. It's not great. This is really my life.
00:45:00
Speaker
I understand that. I've been blessed. It's been awesome. I went Africa last summer. Last month? Last summer, right? oh and may I went to Zambia. Oh my God.
00:45:12
Speaker
I bet it was beautiful. that land It's like, oh my God. I'm literally
00:45:18
Speaker
ah yeah you know That's greatness in Africa. ah love it. I mean, Zambia, oh man, I had a wonderful trip. And I went there to make relationships to open up again. My whole life has been around access, giving other people's opportunity. That's what I live for. It's my high.
00:45:35
Speaker
yeah Some people think it's this. My thing is, if somebody else got a chance and I know I had a thing in doing that, yeah i don't know. Z, it's just something about it for me. i love it And that's why I'm an educator. It's about Can I be in position, and I think Malcolm Gladwell in has one of his books calls it that some people are connectors.
00:45:55
Speaker
Yes. That's me. Yes. I know a lot people, right? Hashtag shout out. Shout out to the greatness writer. yeah, I just connected y'all yeah with it with the master connector. And so that's what I do. It's like, you know, people call me and I'll be at places and they'll be like, oh, this is it. And I'll be like, see, I know somebody who that for you.
00:46:12
Speaker
And I connect you. love it. And, you know, I get nothing other than I know I got y'all connected. My cousin is married to his wife right now because I connect. We met at NC State. You taking credit? it I'm telling you. all holy gra You taking credit?
00:46:25
Speaker
You taking credit? Absolutely, I'm taking credit because he he wouldn't have met her. I met this young lady and I just knew, you know, from some some experiences I had, i started a conversation with her.
00:46:36
Speaker
And it just led, one thing led to another. And I said, hey, you know what? You need to meet my cousin. i think y'all. Oh my gosh. I introduced him one time. He's a matchmaker too, y'all. And they got married. Look, I got a couple people I've done like that too.
00:46:47
Speaker
Because I know personality, right? I just like, you know what? Y'all might be Most connectors do, though. Most connectors, you take the time. what What I love about you is that you take the time to know people.
00:47:00
Speaker
You take the time to allow people to tell you who they are. And because you believe them for who they tell you you are, that's what you take and run with. and And I love that about you because if someone is in front of you and they even have the remote spark of greatness in them, you're going to nurture that remote spark of greatness. So I i can appreciate that with your your um your your being and your your purpose you.
00:47:30
Speaker
and your mission so shout out oh ah Thank you. I really, i just want to help people. That's just who I am. Yeah. And um man, if I can help you, I'm definitely not going to harm you.
00:47:44
Speaker
And if I've harmed you, let me know, because I want to get it right. Because I want um um want to go to heaven. and And I literally you know believe that how you treat people will come back. you know And I'm still trying to think, what can I tell you? Oh my goodness, y'all. I'm about to wrap this up. um he just He already told us he was an open book.
00:48:03
Speaker
Right, or that I'm trying to think. I can't think. I'm going to put in the description box. i don't um I'm really trying hard to see. I think it's admirable that you can't think of something that people don't know about you. I think that that is incredibly admirable. Like, that is the epitome of being authentic, and I respect that. I i do. I am really stumped right now, because now you're going to have your question. I stumped him.
00:48:30
Speaker
I stumped him. uh that's something nobody sorry you're gonna text me later okay well Y'all, thank you so much for joining us on another episode of The Greatness Router.
Closing Reflections and Encouragement
00:48:44
Speaker
It has been, i have chuckled my way through this episode and I'm so grateful.
00:48:48
Speaker
Dr. Ely, thank you so much for joining us to the audience. Thank you so much for for sticking with us this long. We are truly grateful for your attention for that is one of the most, the most beautiful things you can pay, your attention and your love. Dr. Ely, is there anything you would like to say to the people?
00:49:05
Speaker
No, i just want to wish everybody Godspeed. Follow your dreams and don't be scared to be scared to fail. There you go. um Fail fast.
00:49:17
Speaker
Fail often. And bounce back. Yeah. ah All right, y'all. Peace, love, light. It's me, Zena C. And we are out.
00:49:31
Speaker
And that's a wrap on this episode of The Greatness Router. If you found some value in today's conversation, be sure to subscribe, rate, and definitely share. It helps more people connect to the journey of greatness.
00:49:44
Speaker
Until next time, keep moving with purpose.