Reagan M. Ramsower: Dean Of Libraries, Professor Of Information Systems, Associate Vice President And Chief Information Officer, Acting Vice President For Finance And Administration

Q: What do you do for fun?

Since the early '90s, I have been windsurfing whenever I get a chance. I usually go to Lake Waco but occasionally get to Lake Belton or Corpus Christi. My most exotic windsurfing outing was in Phuket, Thailand, while on a trip with Richard Scott [vice president for University Development] to visit Yonok College in Lampang, Thailand. I found a young man on the beach who let me use his equipment for a handful of bahts (currency). 
My scariest windsurfing experience occurred when I passed over a whale shark off the shore of Maui. That huge, dark shape moving under my board as I dealt with high winds and 8-foot waves made my heart race. And I never will forget the exhaustion I felt after falling off my board 45 minutes into an "Enduro" race in the U.S. Open. There were 30-knot winds and 4-foot seas, and I was so tired I could have just drowned right then and there. Instead, I reached down and found a strength I did not know I had, got back on the board and sailed to shore.
To date, I have competed in two U.S. Open Windsurfing competitions -- in 2000 and 2001 -- and numerous amateur competitions around the state. I occasionally win. My most embarrassing windsurfing moment was a picture in a 2001 edition of Windsurfing magazine. If you're curious, ask a librarian.