Karl and Judy Andreasson share a moment while explaining the benefits of working in the same building.
It’s a family affair.
Most married couples head in separate directions when they leave for work every morning, but not the Cunningtons and the Andreassons. They wind up at the same place: North Idaho College. They’re just two of many such couples working at NIC, balancing work and marriage on the same campus.
David Cunnington, biology instructor, has taught at NIC for 20 years; Cheryl Cunnington has taught math at NIC for around 13 years. They’ve been married for 26.
Cheryl and David met when they both attended Moses Lake High School. Cheryl, who grew up amid a family of teachers, always knew she wanted a career related to math. Becoming a math teacher seemed like the natural choice. David was less certain.
“I was going to be a box-bender, box-lifter, ditch digger, that sort of thing,” David said. “It was actually dating Cheryl that talked me into finishing college.”
His first major was music and drama—a far cry from a college science instructor. He considered being a dental hygienist before he discovered a passion for biology, and then thought he would be a doctor. While he sought “that perfect job,” Cheryl convinced him to try his hand at teaching.
“It was an excellent idea,” he said. “I started teaching part-time at Spokane Community College and I found out that this was where I needed to be.”
Whenever positions opened up at NIC, David encouraged his wife to apply. At the time, she was working in the Central Valley School District.
“He’d always ask, ‘Why don’t you apply for this? Why don’t you apply for this?’” she said. “And finally, I did.”
Though they teach in the same building, conflicting class schedules mean they don’t actually see each other at work very often. Still, when Seiter Hall was finished and Cheryl had the option of moving there, she decided against it.
“I wanted to be in the building where David is,” she said. “It’s convenient. We can have lunch together, or I can run in and talk to him face-to-face as opposed to being across campus and not having that connection.”
Working on the same campus does add a dynamic at home, they said.
“We have the same perspective,” Cheryl said. “Everything that goes on here we can talk about at home.”
There are currently four Cunningtons on campus: David and Cheryl’s two sons are dual-enrolled at NIC, and next year, their daughter will join the mix.
Across campus, in the Molsead Library, Karl and Judy Andreasson work out of the same office.
Karl has been teaching part-time at NIC for thirteen years; he also teaches full-time at Spokane Falls Community College. He teaches psychology and the occasional T’ai Chi workshop. Judy has taught sociology and social problems part-time at NIC for about 10 years, both online and in person. She also teaches yoga out of her home studio.
They met when Judy was a student in one of Karl’s T’ai Chi classes.
“Out of all the T’ai Chi joints in the whole world,” Karl said, “she stumbled into mine.”
After the class was over, they started dating. They’ve been married for 10 years.
Before coming to NIC, Karl lived on the East Coast and was in private practice as a psychologist in Philadelphia.
Karl said he “got tired of the therapy thing,” however, and started teaching when he moved to Idaho. “I spent a good part of my life in Sweden and Europe and sort of got in touch with my inclination to teach,” he said. “I sort of belong in a classroom.”
Starting out with a master’s degree in social work, Judy tried school social work for a time, until the program was cancelled in Idaho. She also taught at Spokane Community College. When the opportunity to teach at NIC came up, Judy said she thought it was “much better.”
Judy appreciated the dedicated atmosphere of the NIC campus.
“I’ve taught all over,” she said. “But I came back here, as I really enjoy this campus. The students are very academically oriented.”
Because their office hours are staggered, the two don’t see each other at work very often, even though they work out of the same office. Karl works evenings, and Judy sometimes comes into the office to help him. Their schedules sometimes align, allowing them to share lunch or dinner.
“I could’ve done so many other things, but I enjoy teaching sociology and social problems,” Judy said. “NIC is a great college. We enjoy being here.”
