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Where are they now?

A word from President Emeritus F.H. “Bub” McDowell,
president, 1972-82

After graduating from ET, Bub became business manager and would work his way up to be the school’s first Alumnus to serve as CEO. In January he will turn 90 years old. “But the years haven’t dulled this old man’s memories of the wonderful friends I made during nearly 44 years at ETSU,” he says.

What is it about this University that means the most to you?
This University was our entire professional life for Martha Jo and me. It meant everything to us. It represents to us a lifetime of friendships.

What do you think about where the school has come since your days as president?
I recognize it has become more complex, especially being part of a large university system. But, I think it has done a good job of retaining that nurturing heritage of Professor Mayo.

Bub McDowell was the president who ________. How would you want that sentence finished?
“Bub McDowell was the president who helped a small teachers college become a great university.”

A word from President Emeritus
Jerry D. Morris, president, 1987-97

How have you been? Since retirement, I have encountered a malady known as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, specifically, mantle cell lymphoma. The diagnosis was made in September of 2000, and I had six months of chemotherapy, which put the cancer in a more dormant state but did not put me in remission. Hence, I am now in an experimental treatment program at M.D.

Morris
Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. I am optimistic and thankful for the expertise and care of the doctors, nurses and researchers who spend their lives trying to make people well. Marilyn and I are grateful for the host of people in the University community who have expressed support for us in this stage of life as well as when we were active in the institution we love.

What is post-presidency life like for you & Marilyn?
Marilyn and I loved the fact we had an opportunity to serve in the roles we had from 1987 through 1997 and see it as THE highlight of our careers. The memories sustain us when we’re low and cheer us when we’re high. Since retirement, we have traveled to Europe and to Hawaii three times, taken a cruise, and visited Canada and various sites in the lower 48 states. I’ve made birdhouses and concrete vessels, played a lot of golf and even done some landscaping of our property here and in Arkansas. Marilyn has dozens of hobbies, most lately jewelry-making. She even made ceramic tiles for our kitchen when we did a complete remodeling of our home. We use the golf cart our friends of “old ET” gave us upon retirement. We should feel guilty for having so many blessings, but we don’t have time.

Jerry Morris was the president who _____. How would you want that sentence finished?
I believe the “best” thing accomplished during my time in the presidential role was the merger into the Texas A&M University System. I saw the affiliation then, and do today, as insurance of our permanency as a university in the State of Texas. The need of an attitude adjustment, and not the kind that alcohol induces, but the kind that emanates from pride in what we had done, were doing and would do. We always have had a very fine faculty and student body, and it was time we recognized those facts and told ourselves and everyone else just how good we were and are. I think we got our pride back, and that is what I take the greatest pride in being a part of during my time as president. This is a GREAT UNIVERSITY; we must tell the world!!

A word from
President Keith D. McFarland, president since 1998

What do you want for this University?
My dream for Texas A&M University-Commerce is to have an institution of 10,000 to 12,000 students with an abundance of quality, cutting-edge programs in education and business as well as the arts and sciences. Yet, with such growth I hope that the University can retain the caring and nurturing attitude that has been such an important part of our history going back to Professor William Mayo.

Keith McFarland was the president who ____. How would you want that sentence finished?
Keith McFarland was the president who brought about a dramatic growth of new programs, greatly improved the academic quality of all programs and significantly enhanced the campus facilities.
President McFarland, on Homecoming 2002

“Reminiscing about our past and the celebrating of our future makes the week a particularly poignant one for us all. I hope everyone who has called this campus home at one time or another can come back and see us, and I want those who can’t make it to know that we’ll be thinking of them, too.”