Off The Cuff: Mark Knowles

July 26, 2019

Our CCRI faculty and staff are a diverse group with many fascinating hobbies and interests that keep them busy during their free time off campus. Welcome to “Off The Cuff.” Every other week, we’ll profile a member of our CCRI family to find out what makes them tick. Hopefully, their stories inspire others and help us develop new connections and friendships with our CCRI co-workers.

This week, we check in with Mark Knowles, a Network Technician in the IT department at the Knight Campus. Born in Branford, a small city in West Yorkshire, England, Mark became a standout college athlete upon arriving in the United States and now spends his free time helping our furry friends in need of a home.

We asked Mark about his college experience and his latest hobby.

Why did you leave Branford to start a new life in the United States? 

I came to the United States in 2004 as a student, where I attended Long Island University on a soccer scholarship. Back in England I represented my city at the [under 19] level before I tried out for the LIU team and began my journey in the United States. I played two years at LIU. In my final year, I was selected as a defender on the All-Conference team. After graduating in 2006, I worked for the college IT department for eight years before moving to Portland, Oregon in 2014.  There, I worked for Portland Community College as a Network Administrator. Oregon is a wonderful place, but being so far away from family was difficult, so I moved to Rhode Island in May of 2017 and began working at CCRI in September of 2017.

What is your primary responsibility at CCRI and where can we find you on campus?

I’m responsible for our network communications, so essentially making sure all CCRI’s technology can talk to one another. Most recently, I’ve been focusing on collaborative technology (Webex). My office is located on the second floor at the Warwick campus, but I’m often on other campuses. 

We understand you’ve recently been volunteering for Friends of Homeless Animals Rhode Island. What motivated you to get involved?

I had always wanted a dog of my own, but the timing was never quite right. After settling in Rhode Island, I found FOHA online and adopted my dog, Luna, through them. After a year with Luna, I decided she would benefit from some canine companionship so I decided it would be mutually beneficial to volunteer for FOHA to foster dogs. There are lots of dogs that need help, so FOHA is always looking for more volunteers. 

What has been the most rewarding part of working with FOHA? 

Knowing that you’re saving an animal's life. A lot of the FOHA dogs come from the south, where they’re close to being euthanized. As a FOHA volunteer, it’s my responsibility to provide them with love, sustenance and to find their forever homes. It’s difficult to give the dogs up once you find them a suitable adopter. Ultimately, though, I know it’s for the greater good and there’s always more dogs to foster. 

Is soccer still major part of your life?

My main interest outside of work is soccer. It’s something that has provided me with joy and opportunity throughout my life. After graduating from LIU, I played on a semi-professional indoor team based on the east end of Long Island. The league disbanded after a couple of seasons, but I was paid to play and traveled as far away as Illinois and Ohio for games, which was pretty cool. I currently play indoor soccer three times a week, just recreationally on a few coed teams at World Wide of Indoor Sports in Quonset. I’m not as quick as I was, but I've still got it! That, and three dogs, keeps me in shape! 

We would love to hear your story, too! Email us at [email protected] if you’d like to be featured in a future edition of “Off The Cuff” or want to nominate a co-worker.

Share this story