To much of the world, meteorologist Chesley McNeil is known as the guy that reminds people to grab a coat before heading out the door on their daily commute. To Kennesaw State students, he is simply known as professor McNeil.
Between hosting “Wake Up With Chesley” on Atlanta’s NBC affiliate, teaching environmental science at KSU, having a family at home and being involved in church and social organizations, McNeil is a man of many hats.
“Each [task] requires my time,” McNeil said. “There are only so many hours in a day but I try to give my all. Sleep is where I fall short.”
It all began with a desire to be on television. After accepting a position in TV as a photographer, McNeil soon realized the job was not to his liking. He then used the opportunity to try out other duties at the station before one of the weather anchors suggested that he give weather forecasting a shot.
“The general manager of the station saw my tapes and thought I was pretty good,” McNeil said. “He said if I wanted to pursue it professionally, he would pay for me to go back to school. He didn’t have to tell me twice.”
From a teaching standpoint, McNeil always had an attraction to the idea of it. The job of teaching middle school students during Sunday school class at church soon transitioned to adults on Wednesday nights, and the rest was history.
“[I love] the reaction to learning,” McNeil said. “When you’re teaching and you see the light bulb go off on students’ faces, that’s when you know you’re doing it right.”
McNeil taught at multiple universities since 1994 before arriving at KSU. He is currently a part-time instructor of environmental science, where the realities of his jobs often interact.
Students all across campus seem to love McNeil not only for his charisma and personality but also for his structure and style of lecture. While learning is always priority, students often describe his approach toward class as laid-back.
“My classes are relatable to life,” McNeil said. “Life is what we both have in common. If I can make a student realize the importance of science, I might gain that student to switch to my favorite discipline. And it doesn’t have to be hard.”
For anyone interested in hearing more from McNeil, he can be seen on 11 Alive at 4:30 a.m. or contacted through @Chesley11alive on Facebook.
