The College of Applied Science and Technology (CAST) at Illinois State University is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year! This series, CAST 50×50, is designed to highlight 50 faculty, staff, students, alumni, and organizations within CAST that make the college special. These notable people will tell you that every day in CAST is a great day to be a Redbird!
The fall semester may be winding down, but #CAST50 is still going strong. Today, we feature Tim Bassett ’09, an alumnus from the Department of Technology.
What was your major and when did you graduate from Illinois State University?
I graduated in 2009 with my bachelor’s in construction management.
Tell us about your career and how you got to where you are today.
I am currently the director of facilities for Advocate BroMenn Medical Center. I oversee all facility maintenance and operations for Advocate properties in the Central Illinois region. Prior to my current role, I managed major capital planning, design, and construction for Advocate BroMenn and completed over $100 million worth of projects during a five-year period. I began my career immediately following ISU as a project manager in general contracting. Since that time, many opportunities have presented themselves and have led me to where I am today.
You can only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what is it?
I love cooking outdoors, grilling in particular, so I would have to go with one of my favorites from that realm. It would probably be my smoked salmon paired with risotto.
Career wise, where do you see yourself in five years? 10 years?
It’s difficult to say. Everyone has a plan but rarely is it executed exactly as we envision. As I’ve found in my short career, many opportunities may arise at different times. My goal is to best position myself for those opportunities as they are presented through development, both personally and professionally, maintaining a sense of continual improvement, and following my core values.
Advice for current students?
In my own experience, I have found that being resourceful, maintaining a willingness to learn, and bearing an ability to adapt to change can best position a person for success. I would challenge students to embrace these three virtues throughout their college years and into their professional careers. You would be surprised how far these three virtues can take you.
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