CSN professor has run the gamut in education

Even retirement will not keep John Esperian out of the classroom.

The "retired" professor will teach one English class this fall semester at the College of Southern Nevada, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., and split teaching responsibilities with another professor in a second class.

"Some people are very anxious to retire," he said. "Some would like to retire but can't for financial reasons. I'm kind of a showboat and like to be in the classroom in that venue."

The Centennial Hills-area resident grew up in New Jersey but had to look internationally for his first job.

"My academic career has been varied and ironic," Esperian said. "I wanted to teach in New Jersey, but no one would hire me."

He landed his first job in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands with the plan to gain six months of experience and "hightail it back to New Jersey."

"Once you smell that sugar cane and the Caribbean, there's no going back," he said.

He spent 18 months in St. Croix, then six years in Puerto Rico. He moved back to New Jersey and taught for two years a prep school before moving to Vienna for four years to become an assistant headmaster at the American International School.

He moved to Pennsylvania to become the headmaster at a prep school for nine years before jumping to community colleges in Florida. He developed asthma and looked west for a suitable climate. He and his wife, Brigitte, moved to Las Vegas in 1990, and both found work at CSN. Brigitte is still an administrative assistant in the Department of Fine Arts.

Esperian's teaching goes beyond the classroom. He has volunteered for years at local prisons and homeless shelters, such as the Shade Tree, 1 W. Owens Ave., which houses women and children fleeing domestic violence and those in crisis. He has donated food, clothing and tutoring.

"I tend to gravitate toward people of less fortune," he said.

Given the choice of being a headmaster or a teacher, Esperian favors the latter, although he said, "Being a headmaster, you get all the good stuff, the accolades. Even when I was a headmaster, I taught classes on science fiction."

Esperian's love of science fiction led him to interview late "Fahrenheit 451" author Ray Bradbury.

During research on Bradbury's fiction for a presentation at an academic conference in 1991, Esperian sent 10 questions to Bradbury through his publisher "in the long shot he might get to see the letter."

Bradbury wrote back. So did Esperian. He wrote 10 more questions, then another 10.

"(Bradbury) wrote back and said, 'Look, I'm tired of answering questions,' " Esperian said. "He gave me his phone number."

Esperian interviewed him over the phone and still has the recorded conversation on tape at home.

Cuba also is a favorite subject of Esperian. He made trips there in 2001 and 2003 to research his book, "Offshore Vegas: How the Mob Brought Revolution to Cuba."

He has interests outside academia, too. He plays golf and, at 75, racquetball every week with his son, Chris, and a few other friends. Chris Esperian teaches web development and video editing at The Art Institute of Las Vegas in Henderson.

He said he feels fortunate to be his father's son.

"I'm sure he's been an influence in so many ways I appreciate and haven't been able to appreciate yet," Chris Esperian said. "He's such a model of a professional person and a social person. ... It's a standard that a lot of people aspire to, including myself."

Contact View education reporter Jeff Mosier at jmosier@viewnews.com or 224-5524.