This year, the School of Arts and Humanities is saying goodbye to four professors who are retiring. We wish the following faculty well in their retirements:

Teresa Cheatham Crosby, Instructor of Music (Voice)

Dr. Robert Felgar, Distinguished Professor of English

Joy Maloney, Instructor of English

David Myer, Distinguished Instructor of English

We appreciate the opportunity to feature Professor Myer:

How long have you taught at JSU?

Including a year as an adjunct instructor, I have taught in the English department for 26 years.

What courses did you usually teach?

I mostly taught American Literature I and II, Technical Writing, and Oral Communication. I’ve taught a variety of other courses over the years.

What was your favorite course to teach and why?

I’ve enjoyed them all for different reasons: Oral Communication because I can keep it loose and fun while students learn a valuable life skill; Technical Writing because it is an utterly practical course—students will use these skills in their careers. As for my American Literature classes, I freely admit to lecturing too much, but my heart was always in the right place.  

Who is one person who positively impacted your career and how?

If I named fifty, I’d still leave out someone. The late Clyde Cox (former department head) was one of the wisest, sweetest people I have known. He hired me, God bless him, and set me on my career path. Bob Felgar was my faculty mentor and led our department for the bulk of my time here. Lisa Williams and Gena Christopher opened many doors for me in the area of international studies, especially relating to JSU’s Chinese partnerships. Those opportunities greatly enriched my career as an educator and my life overall!   

What advice do you have for JSU students?

Find your passion; it might not be what you’re majoring in right now. Nurture your intellectual life. Get out of your comfort zone; this one was tough for me, but what helped the most was just learning to say “Yes.” When you have a chance to be of service, say “Yes,” and more doors will open for you. Take responsibility and learn how to live as an adult. Forge good relationships with your professors; we are willing to help you, both now and after you leave the university. Finally, and this is important, when you start your job search, don’t use the email address livestoparty@yahoo.com on your résumé.

What do you plan to do during your retirement?

Change my email address to livestoparty@yahoo.com. My wife and I hope to travel more. One of my hobbies is songwriting, and I want to record music in my home studio (aka the guest bedroom). And I’m working on a screenplay for a horror movie. I’ll work on these and other things when I’m not enjoying my pets, reading, doing home improvement projects, cooking, playing poker, or riding my Harley.

Any parting words (fit for print) for JSU, your department, colleagues?

Fit for print? This is hard; let’s see. My colleagues, past and present, have been the best–period. Whatever else I could say about them, I hope they already know. So many of these folks have become a part of my life, and that doesn’t change. More generally, I feel a deep connection to JSU. My father (class of 1957) was attending school here when I was born. Our family moved away after he graduated, but Jacksonville is my home town, and when I came to teach here in 1994, it seemed I had come full circle. I didn’t get rich teaching (thanks for nothing, high school guidance counselor) but so much of what I have and will have in life is connected to this university and its people.