Ron Glass, the veteran star of stage, screen and television, visited the St. Thomas University campus. The actor, who received two Emmy Award nominations for his role as Detective Harris in the groundbreaking television comedy series Barney Miller, has been part of the St. Thomas University President’s Board of Advisors for the past five years.

Glass has been featured in the films Houseguest, Back in Business, It's My Party and Deal of a Lifetime. His other television work includes the telefilms Crash of Flight 401, Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star and Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster, as well as starring roles on the series Rhythm & Blues, The New Odd Couple, Mr. Rhodes and Teen Angel. His stage work has earned him awards and praise across the country, beginning with his work as a member of the prestigious Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis and including a starring role in the Los Angeles production of Speed of Darkness, for which he was honored with the Hollywood-Beverly Hills NAACP Theatre Award. Glass is also a scholar and social activist, having earned a Medal of Honor commendation from his alma mater, the University of Evansville, for his scholarship and career accomplishments, and serving as chairman of the board of the Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center in Los Angeles, whose goal is to empower young people growing up in crisis communities.

After STU’s V.P of Advancement Beverly Bachrach gave Ron Glass a tour of St. Thomas’ newest facilities, including the site where the Fernandez Family Leadership and Wellness Center will be located, the Villanova Dorm Hall and the new state of the art Carnival Cruise Lines Science & Technology Building, he sat with the Office of Marketing and Communications to answer some questions about his acting career and what St. Thomas University means to him.   

 

What do you think of the changes in the campus since the last time you visited?

St. Thomas University has grown and expanded a lot, you can see and feel that it is on the move. The whole campus is looking very nice and I can see so many great opportunities coming for the students.

 

What did you think of the new Carnival Cruise Lines Science & Technology Building?

The science building looks almost intimidating of how great it is. It looks so professional and that will be very important for all the students that will be using it because it will make them feel and understand the seriousness of the great opportunity they are having by being able to learn and practice science in that building.. It really looks beautiful.  

 

What is it about St. Thomas University that attracted you to be part of it?

I am really excited that St. Thomas University focuses on giving an opportunity to everybody and gears the attention towards people who a lot of times do not get the same opportunities in life as others, and I am interested in that, so it fits me perfectly.

 

Where do you live now?

I live in Hollywood, right between the famous Hollywood sign and the observatory, I cannot complain of the view.

 

When did you start acting?

I was 19 when I started acting and I have not stopped since then.

 

What is the latest work you have done?

I worked doing the voice of an animated character in a movie by Samuel Jackson that has not been released yet called Lakeview Terrace.

 

The great thing about doing voiceovers is that you don’t have to worry about how your hair looks or what shirt you are wearing, but the challenging part is that as an actor you depend a lot on your facial expressions and when doing voice only you only depend on your voice.

 

Any plans for new projects?

I do a lot of science fiction conventions; I have a very loyal crowd of followers and for now I’ll keep on going to sign their autographs and let them take my picture. .

 

What is your advice to our students?

I think is important to discover and cultivate your passion because in that process a lot of fulfillment can manifest.