Professor Robert Barnes to Retire from Teaching at William Penn University
Professor Robert Barnes poses with his Photography students at the start of his last class.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – After 52 years of dedicated service to the William Penn campus community, Professor Robert Barnes has decided to retire from teaching, but will continue his role as campus photographer. Staff, faculty, and students will be celebrating the many years of humble service provided by Professor Barnes from 4:30–6:00 pm on Friday, December 13 with a dessert reception held in the Green Family Lounge in Lewis Hall.
Since joining the chemistry department in 1961, Barnes has taught hundreds of courses in chemistry, physics, and most recently, film and digital photography. During the past decade or so, he has also managed to take thousands of photos for the university, documenting nearly every athletic, academic, social, or fine art event both on and off campus. His role as campus photographer has proven invaluable to the university.
Dr. Noel Stahle, Vice President for Academic Affairs shared his thoughts in regard to Barnes’ decision, “Bob Barnes is a living legend at Penn, not only for his many years of teaching, but because he spends so many hours each week, including weekends, photographing students, faculty, and campus activities. If, as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, then Bob Barnes is our best story-teller, our best chronicler, and our best artist. No one has captured the many dimensions of Penn as well as Bob Barnes. More than this, however, Bob is the kindest of men, and the most perfectly cheerful person on campus. We are pleased that Bob is not retiring completely, because we are better people when he is on campus.”
For his outstanding service, Barnes was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame in 2003 as the Distinguished Service Award recipient. He was later presented with the President’s Excellence in Service Award at the Honors Banquet in the spring of 2012. Most recently, William Penn University awarded Barnes with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters at the 2013 Graduation Commencement Ceremony.
Though he will no longer be teaching, his committed service will continue helping the university record its history in its many publications. Please join William Penn University in wishing Robert Barnes a long and happy retirement at the dessert reception on Friday, December 13, from 4:30–6:00 pm in the Green Family Lounge.
