Professor Emeritus Phaup passed away
Dr. J.D. Phaup’s 40 years of serving Texas A&I and Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK), is remembered as former students, faculty and staff reflect upon his death. Phaup passed away on Sept. 29 leaving many memories to his son, daughter and many former students.
Phaup was named Professors Emeritus in 2011, and taught political science at the university.
“Some of the key reason smy father taught for so long is that he loved his school and what he did, which was to help guide the next generations on their way. He also had a deep respect for his colleagues and frequently collaborated with them to create a framework to support their students and help them to find opportunities beyond university,” son of J.D Phaup and Javelina alumnus Jonathan Phaup said.
Jonathan Phaup graduated from TAMUK in 2011 with a degree in Art.
“He taught me that when we cease being students we stop growing as people. He was a student to the end of his days and through his journey was able to teach me that healthy debate is not about winning. It’s about learning from each other and understanding different points of view. No matter how much they may differ,” he said.
Though Jonathan Phaup never took any of his father’s classes he believes these lessons were present in his classroom
During his 40 years at the university, Phaup worked with many faculty and staff members.
“He consistently upheld the value of good teaching in the Department. Dr. Phaup highlighted the need for faculty to give importance to the aspirations of our students,” Professor of Political Science Dr. Nirmal Goswami said.
Goswami worked with Phaup for 15 years, and remembers most the commitment he had to his students.
“Reflecting back on my time as his student, I remember most how engaging he was with students and how much he genuinely cared. He didn’t just care that we did well in his class, he cared about our future and how we were doing outside the classroom, even after graduation,” Director of Marketing and Communications Adriana Garza-Flores said.
Phaup retired from the university in 2011.