For Father’s Day, NOVA’s own Aldous McCrory, a business and law professor at the Manassas Campus, and as the new Faculty Senate Chair for NOVA talks about his favorite memories with his kids.

Aldous joined NOVA in 2016 as a faculty member. He earned his bachelor’s in political science from Emory University, an MBA from Vanderbilt University, his juris doctorate from University of Notre Dame and his master of laws from University of Alabama School of Law.

Tell us a little bit about your background:
I am from Georgia, which is where I grew up and spent most of my career. I went to college at Emory University where I was president of the Student Government and pitched for the baseball team. While in college, I had an opportunity to attend several conferences in Chicago during the summers. I loved the city so much that I decided to live there after graduation. After undergrad, I attended the Notre Dame Law School. I then quickly learned that I was not cut out for winters in Chicago. Therefore, I returned to Georgia after law school where I opened a solo practice. 

After several years of practicing law in Georgia, I decided I needed a different challenge.  As luck would have it, I became a finalist for a judicial appointment at the same time I was taking a job at a law firm in Chattanooga, Tenn. After not receiving the appointment, I worked for the Chattanooga firm for a year before being hired as the first in-house attorney for Chattanooga’s electric utility company. The job was created because the utility was planning to launch the nation’s largest public fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) project to deliver cable, Internet and telephone to its customers. 

I was fortunate to lead the effort resulting in the largest public bond offering in Tennessee history. The experience of being part of a senior executive team revealed the need for me to better understand how successful businesses make decisions. This led me to pursue my MBA from Vanderbilt University while continuing to work long days on the FTTH project. Once the project was successfully launched in 2009, I left the utility to pursue other entrepreneurial opportunities at the beginning of the greatest recession at that time since the great depression.

How many years have you been at NOVA?
I began as adjunct professor at NOVA in 2016, and then became a full-time faculty member in 2018.

What department are you in?
I am a member of the business faculty on the Manassas Campus.

What do you look forward to most about Father’s Day?
Father’s Day is a time of reflection for me. I recall the time that my son as a four-year-old sat in my lap for hours, even during a hot day in the south with 104-degree temperatures, sucking on his fingers. I enjoy memories of sitting in a chair for hours, holding this small human in the space between my wrist and elbow as he slept soundly. 

I remember teaching my daughter how to roller skate on a tennis court. I also think of playing dress-up with my daughter and wearing lipstick as we took turns being runway models. I reminisce about the road trips in taking my kids to a variety of sporting events such as basketball, swimming, baseball, lacrosse tournaments and horseback riding.  I remember mornings at Waffle House and the evenings at Fuddruckers. 

Father’s Day is an opportunity to appreciate the gifts of memories that my kids have given me over their lifetimes, and how those gifts have made my life richer and fuller.

Share a fun Father’s Day memory with us:
My birthday is usually within a few days of Father’s Day. The first year that we lived in Virginia, my son gave me tickets to a Nationals game.  While I am not a fan of the Nationals, as I am from Georgia – (Go Braves!) -- my second favorite team is the Yankees. On that occasion, the Yankees and the Nationals played during Father’s Day weekend. C.C. Sabathia (my favorite Yankee then) pitched and my son caught a homerun ball (which was unfortunately hit by Ryan Zimmerman). Despite the searing heat and the Yankees losing, I enjoyed spending the day with my son and watching one of my favorite baseball teams and my favorite pitcher. It was an incredible experience that I like to reflect upon.

Are there any fathers at NOVA that you would like to give a shout out to?
I would like to send a hearty shout out to all of the fathers and single parents on this Father’s Day. Being the product of a single mother, I want to acknowledge their special role. There are not enough “Days” to acknowledge their sacrifice and commitment. 

Father’s Day is a special opportunity for all of us NOVA dads to appreciate the contributions that we make to our families and to each of the students we influence every day.  Of all the roles and responsibilities, titles and honors that we may receive, nothing will ever top the honor of being a father. Happy Father’s Day, everyone!