University sees 15 retirees
As another school year comes to an end, summer arrives and COVID-19 starts to subside, professors and university staff members started officially announcing their retirement.
For the spring and summer of 2021, 15 university professors and staff members announced their retirement. With a combined total of 422 years of service dedicated to the university between them, there is no doubt these professors and staff members have left their mark on students.
“I’ve taught American literature and writing and creative writing and that continued all the way through, I was immersed,” Professor of English Dr. Cathy Downs said.
Downs has been teaching at the university since September 1995.
“When you’re writing the challenge is often yourself, so you have to encourage yourself that you’re going to be okay and that you have to keep going, you also have to fight down your pride and say ‘I make mistakes too, where are they?’ and keep editing until you make it the best you can, so that’s a challenge,” she said.
Downs credits working at a small university for her freedom to explore American literature.
“I wasn’t lazy, so I couldn’t say this year I could have worked harder. Whenever I could publish I did, so I can’t say I should have published more. I gave students tons of feedback, I don’t know if I made them any better but I gave my all. I try not to live my life so that I’m embarrassed or wish I could do it over,” she said.
Downs said the decision to retire came naturally.
“My first day of class I was so nervous I wouldn’t do a good job. I’m sure I had notes and on the other hand I was young, and I just knew I was great. Now when I go into a classroom, I don’t need that many notes because I know what I need to do and I know what works. I don’t cry when I come into the office, my husband is here now and we’re settled. I have confidence, I didn’t have confidence then. I was overwhelmed then and now I know what I have to do to make everything work,” she said
Downs is currently pursuing a degree in geology and has amassed a total of 20 credit hours towards her degree. She also plans to travel during her retirement.
“The travel that I want to do is all about going to look at rocks. I want to go look at a lot of rocks, I already do that in real life, but I’d like to do it some more,” she said.
Downs said COVID-19 ultimately lead to her decision to retire.
“Writing is important not because your teacher told you to do it but because it can take you places that otherwise you couldn’t go. It can take you places of the intellect; it can take you places of communication or self-expression and it is a way of exploring the world that’s like science, like in a chemistry lab, but you do it with a pen and paper and anyone can do it so I want to say keep writing, write on,” Downs concluded.
Library Director Bruce Schueneman also retired.
“Since 2011, I have served the university as Library Director. The Library Director oversees and manages all library operations. From 1979 to 2011, I served the university in a variety of roles, including Government Documents Librarian, Interlibrary Loan Librarian, Reference Librarian, Head of Technical Services and Associate Director of Systems and Technical Services. For a period in the mid-1990s, I taught the two American History survey courses,” Schueneman said.
Schueneman was first hired by the university in fall 1979.
“I have had a full career from junior librarian to director. Additionally, I earned a second master’s degree while working at TAMUK, and learned to play the violin at TAMUK’s School of Music. I have been privileged to work with great colleagues over the years, both within the library and in the university,” he said.
Schueneman lists his health as a major factor in his decision to retire.
“Though it will be difficult to leave TAMUK after 42 years, after consideration and discussion with my wife, we decided that this was the best time for us. It was not a difficult decision,” he said.
Schueneman and his wife Dr. Maria Ayala-Schueneman will stay in Texas while his lung cancer is monitored from a previous surgery in March, but plan to soon move closer to their children and grandchildren.
“I would like to thank all the colleagues I have worked with over the years, including the many students that I’ve worked with and for. Knowing that I have helped such students – even if only to a small degree, is the greatest satisfaction of my career,” he said
His wife has also retired.
“It has been a great experience, both as a student and as a Librarian. I have learned a lot, grown a lot, and met many students and faculty, great people,” Associate Director of Public Service Dr. Ayala-Schueneman said.
Ayala- Schueneman states COVID-19 was the greatest challenge of her career.
“I am Associate Director for Public Services and all the departments in the Library that deal with the public are my areas of responsibility: Access Services, Interlibrary Loan, Government Documents, Reference, Bibliographic Instruction, and South Texas Archives,” she said.
Ayala- Schueneman says her husband’s health was a big contributor to her decision to retire.
“It is a hard decision. A lot of documents need to be filed but most important and hardest is to write that note to my supervisor to let her know I will be retiring. That is what makes it final,” she said.
After 37 and a half years Ayala-Schueneman says there is nothing she would change about her time working at the university.