Born in Muncie, Indiana as 1 of 9 children, John Edwards spent over 30 years at ASU, in various roles, working his way up to Associate Dean in Extended Education. In this interview, John recalls his experience growing up during the depression and right after school desegregation. As a young boy he had two goals – to go to college and to become a college professor, both of which he was successful in completing. He also discusses his involvement dealing with segregation/desegregation, discrimination and the Civil Rights movement.

John received his undergraduate education from Ball State University. At the time he went to college, all students held jobs on campus, and he describes many of those jobs. John spent time in the military after which he moved to Arizona and became a teacher in the Roosevelt School District. He then came to ASU as a Faculty Associate in the College of Education. While at ASU, he went back to school to get his PhD in Education.