Retiree fondly remembers learning experiences, students

By Kurt Esposito
Summer Editor

Not many people can say they have been traded for office equipment, but one Purdue professor can.

George Stevens, professor of communication, came to Purdue in 1969 as a member of the English department, but was switched to the communications department before he started work.

His joke about how he was traded between the departments for equipment is infamous in the communications department.

Cynthia Stohl, head of the communication department, said, "As long as I've been on the faculty, we've heard it every year."

Stevens said the joke "always gets a laugh."

Stevens is retiring June 30 after 32 years at Purdue, where he served as professor, assistant department head and schedule deputy of the communications department since 1988.

"I'm going to sleep all day and party every night. Well at least one of them, guess which?" he asks.

Stohl said, "He was thoughtful, careful and humane in his approach to bureaucratic issues. He's wonderful; we will miss him very much."

When Stevens came to Purdue his expertise was in journalism, but in one of his first few years at Purdue he had to teach a two-credit class on journalism law, which he did not know too much about at the time.

He said the students in the class realized this and would ask him questions that they knew he would not know the answer to. But he would always respond with, "I don’t know, but I'll find out."

He began reading into the subject of communication law so much that he became an expert in such subjects as defamation and privacy.

He said he never expected to be interested in the subjects but is glad he did. It has led him to write articles on subjects such as students and their right to privacy.

Stevens said it was a privilege to have been at Purdue so long, but cannot think of one particular memory that will always stick out for him. Instead he said he would like to think back on all the students he has taught; students from whom he was never afraid to learn from. He said some of his favorite moments came when students had insights into an issue, that he had not thought at looking at in that way.

Stohl said he was demanding of his students, but he did it to make sure they understood the complexities of communication law.

But Stevens sees it as time for him to move on. He said fewer students get any of his jokes anymore. One in particular is when he announces that he has to cancel an upcoming class and all the students cheer. He then tells them "I expected there to be wailing and gnashing of teeth." He said he once had a student like the joke so much, he mentioned it on the teacher evaluation.

In his last few weeks, he has enjoyed receiving e-mails from past students who reflect on his class and wish him well in retirement. He said he will spend the first two months of retirement relaxing, but may find a job or some volunteer work to do if he becomes bored.

Stohl said she will miss seeing him every morning when she walks into work. "It will be quieter and lonelier. I will miss his sage advice."

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