I am pretty new in the Politics department. But I have a small inkling of how much our department and our students will miss Bob.

Students raved about Bob's classes and many asked me how to wrangle a spot in his Politics of Memory class.  Bob's teaching extended well beyond his own classroom, though. When writing their senior theses, for example, many of our students relied on Bob for guidance. Inevitably, seniors get quite stressed around the third or forth week of writing their thesis. This is usually the point I have to talk students out of changing their research project ("new projects always seem more interesting than existing projects!"). Bob was always available to students wanting to discussing their research, ably advising them on topics ranging from Basque identity to South African soccer.  After visiting Bob, students returned to their project with renewed energy.  In the process of advising our seniors, he also helped me learn how to serve them better.   

So Bob was a mentor and advisor to students and new faculty members alike. After his "retirement" he remained immersed in campus life, always willing to attend after-hours events for students, organize Kaneko conversations, giving out Campus Life awards, and sharing his amazing stories about Willamette's past in the process.  Last Thursday, I ran into Bob in the hallway and we talked about our shared students.  He was unusually tuned into our students interests, their activities, their friendships, which made him all the more accessible and able to reach them.  He also had a particularly sensitive radar for students facing personal or academic struggles and he seemed to be able to anticipate problems.  I told him that every conversation with him was a master class in how to relate and help our students.

I'm so grateful to Bob for so warmly welcoming new faculty to WU, all his support of our students, his stories, and his example as a teacher.

Jonneke Koomen

Assistant Professor, Politics Department