Alumni Spotlight: Jim Curtis

Over the past 110 years, more than 200,000 individuals have graduated from Webster University around the world.

Join Us As We Highlight Their Webster Stories

Meet Jim Curtis, Professor Emeritus at Webster University, who earned an MA in Computer and Information Management from the University in 1997 and was the alumni speaker for the 2025 George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology Commencement ceremony.

What enticed you to choose Webster University for your degree?

As an active-duty Air Force officer, Webster University was the premier university providing graduate degree programs across the Department of Defense. I knew several colleagues who had graduated from these extension programs, so I talked with the great folks at Scott Air Force Base and decided the University was the best fit for my needs. My experience was excellent with the Scott campus staff, faculty and curriculum. It was a perfect fit for my military career field, and I am appreciative of the experience.

What stood out about your studies at Webster?

One of the most important things that stood out was having a faculty member, Mr. Paul Frazier, teach me. Paul is still teaching at the University in the cybersecurity program! He became a dear friend and later, through serendipity, was the catalyst for me to join the University faculty and establish the cybersecurity program with him. It led to my 11 wonderful years as the program lead and department chair of the Computer and Information Sciences Department. One of the things I love about Webster is the intimacy of the faculty with students, even at the graduate level. We ensure our faculty actually know and see our students instead of just being a number in a crowd. Paul is an example of that culture in action.

How did your Webster degree help advance you in your career?

As a career Communications Computer Officer, the degree assisted me with credibility for advancement in rank and provided me excellent knowledge in government procurement of IT systems, project management and financial aspects of the IT systems. And as I stated earlier, it opened future opportunities with the University that I have cherished.

What is your favorite part about your job?

My favorite part of my job was seeing the lights come on in the eyes of students as they comprehended a concept. It was magnificent. I also loved it when we, as a team, helped struggling students achieve their goals. Nothing gave me more happiness than to see a student I had mentored walk across the dais and receive their degree as their family cheered with joy. I am especially proud that we provide opportunities for students who may not have other opportunities to be the leader in their families' march toward a better life.

What is something valuable you have learned during your career?

I recommend to you the Curtis 20/80 Principle. It is a concept I developed in the 1980s and confirmed throughout my career, whether as an Air Force officer, a vice president in a Fortune 500 company or a professor. What I found is that in almost every endeavor, approximately 20% of the people are doing the heavy lifting, selflessly serving as the true believers in the cause and sacrificing for the good of the organization, often to their own personal detriment. We call them the “go-to” people. I strongly recommend you be one of the 20% because it will pay dividends throughout your career. Additionally, as you progress in your career, make sure you identify the people who work for you that are in the 20% category. And when you find them, take care of them, promote them, pay them bonuses and thank them. They are the people who will make you look good and help your organization succeed.

What advice would you give to others who are considering Webster University for their degree?

I think of three things about Webster. First, we are totally focused on teaching students to be able to succeed in their careers. It is not about theory, rather, it is about practice. We want to ensure that the day you graduate, you can start working and be effective. Second, as I stated earlier, the dedication to our students' welfare is evident in all we do. Students are our center of gravity. And third, we provide curriculum programs that are tailored to the current realities of the market and what industry or government employers need in their respective disciplines.

What is your favorite spot on your Webster campus?

My favorite spot is the Webster Library. First, the librarians are gloriously wonderful in their support of our faculty and students. They will do all they can to help you with research or with finding the right information you need. I like the quiet and being surrounded by books. I also enjoy the commons area of the East Academic Building and the hubbub business and noise as the students are crisscrossing between classes or socializing. It gives me energy.

What has your life journey looked like?

I grew up in a small farm town in central Illinois, called Gilman. Its nickname was the crossroads because the Illinois Central and Union Pacific railroads, as well as U.S. 45 and U.S. 24 highways, intersected there. It was a wonderful childhood with my large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all over our small town of 1,700 people.

What was your first job, and what do you remember most about it?

My first job was at 11, and I was a paperboy. I rode my bike around town and delivered the Champaign-Urbana News. I was not very good and got fired. When it was cold or raining, I often didn't do my job, and I was not reliable. It is the only job I ever got fired from. After that experience, I started working in the farm fields at 12, and then was a student janitor at the school all the way through high school. 

How do you spend your free time?

Now that I am Professor Emeritus, my free time is changing! I have four grandchildren with all of the activities that brings, and have two books queued up over the next few years. My immediate focus is on a peer-reviewed paper for my Triad of Disruption framework research on social engineering. I just started ukelele lessons, and Italian cooking classes are coming up this fall.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I would like to ask all alumni to help us continue to make Webster University better. Do so by volunteering to become an adjunct instructor, serving on an advisory board, volunteering for Webster Works, giving money to the area you want to thrive and just be engaged as part of the Webster family. It is only by all of us working together that we can succeed during these challenging times.