Students at Stevenson Towers are calling him Dr. Ivan, and they’re teaching him how to use his NIU OneCard to do laundry.

“I love it,” said Dr. J. Ivan Legg, executive vice president and provost, speaking of his life at the dorm. “It’s what education is all about.”

Legg was chosen by President John Peters after his expertise surfaced during a search committee’s investigation. This is the beginning of his first full semester on campus.

Legg thinks that as a kid, he took a lot for granted. Born in Brooklyn, he learned Spanish at age 2 while living in Montevideo, Uruguay. His family later moved to Brazil, where he learned to speak Portuguese.

Legg’s interest in education and chemistry goes back to his days in high school. He and one of his Sunday school teachers did some research in Guatemala, trying to help people in the third-world country acquire better nutrition.

“I come from a family of very educated people — my father, mother and grandparents all went to college,” Legg said. “It was not even thought about that I wouldn’t go to college. My wife is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in psychology.”

He also added that some kids are not so lucky, and that many of the students in NIU’s CHANCE program are the first members of their families to attend college.

He notes that many students are alone for the first time in their lives, and it is only natural that they gravitate toward people of their own background.

But it is his mission to bring culturally diverse groups of students together.

“People from diverse backgrounds perform much more creatively than groups of common backgrounds,” Legg said.

Legg’s primary attraction to NIU was its reputation.

He noted that NIU has had a Ph.D. program for chemistry since the 1960s and is a leader in the state in music, theater, accountancy, law and business.

“I feel closer to my mother now than when I was a student,” Legg said.

Another factor in Legg’s decision to come to NIU was the school’s proximity to his family, some of whom live in Chicago.

Legg sees his mission in the coming months as the continuation of the College of Education’s partnership with K-12 schools and other colleges on campus and to prepare more teachers for teaching in culturally diverse communities.

As a 21-year faculty member and later as a dean and then provost, he has learned to listen to teachers and is confident that he facilitates their ideas.

Legg was impressed with the atmosphere at NIU.

“Everyone is on a first-name basis — I’ve met Student Association leaders already. It’s a great job. I love it.”