TWC ARCHES Fall 2012

SERVICE & DEDICATION
Retired professors refl ect on TWC teaching career
W
ith 57 years of dedicated service and leadership between
them, recent Tennessee Wesleyan College retirees Sam
Roberts and Joyce Baker have left behind a legacy at the college
they each spent nearly 30 years teaching at.
“I came to TWC because it was so similar to my undergraduate
experience,” said Baker, who received her bachelor’s in chemistry
from Ohio Northern University in 1967 before getting her doctorate
degree in analytical and organic chemistry from Texas A&M
University in 1970. “I had such a great learning experience in the
atmosphere of a smaller college and I wanted the opportunity to teach
in that environment.”
Baker began teaching at Tennessee Wesleyan as an associate professor
in chemistry in 1981 and continued on to become a professor,
eventually becoming chair of the chemistry department and an
associate dean of natural sciences and mathematics at the college.
“I’ve taught some absolutely fantastic students during my time at
Tennessee Wesleyan,” said Baker. “Many of which have done very
well for themselves. I always enjoyed the relationships I had with my
students and I’m proud of what they have gone on to accomplish.”
Student relationships and successes are also valued by Roberts, who
came to TWC in 1986 to fulfill the role of college chaplain before
continuing on to become a professor of religion and philosophy at
the college.
“I came to Tennessee Wesleyan 26 years ago because I believed
strongly in the school’s identity as a small-church related institution
and I believed in its mission,” said Roberts, who graduated from West
Virginia Wesleyan College in 1973 with a bachelor’s in bible and
religion before receiving a master’s in divinity from Yale University
Divinity School in 1976 and a master’s in philosophy as well as a
doctorate degree from Drew University in 1985.
“When I first came to TWC, then President Jim Cheek told me
something I’ve never forgotten, and something I hope I’ll always
remember. He told me that our students’ parents have entrusted us
with their most cherished possession: their children’s minds. I still
cannot look out at a classroom full of students without recalling that
and I hope I’ve always honored it.”
While Roberts sought to fulfill his role as professor by honoring his
duty to teach his students to the best of his ability, Baker sought to
push her students to work hard and do their very best academically.
“Tennessee Wesleyan gave me the opportunity to provide challenges
to my students as well as to challenge myself,” said Baker.
After 26 and 31 years at Tennessee Wesleyan, Roberts and Baker are
now enjoying their well-deserved retirement. Baker plans to travel
and has already made plans for a trip to New Zealand and Queensland,
Australia for Sept. and Nov. of this year.
In addition to Roberts’ own traveling dreams as well as plans to
cultivate hobbies like being a model railroad craftsman, he is
continuing to teach at TWC as a part-time professor of religion and
philosophy and still approaches every new set of students he teaches
with President Cheek’s old advice.
“Regardless of how good they are, or how bad they are, and in whatever
respect they are good or bad or something in between, students are the
children of parents who love them,” said Roberts. “And I’m supposed
to care for them too.”
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