'A Boy from Elizabethton'

Above photo by Ron Campbell.

CELEBRATING ‘A BOY FROM ELIZABETHTON’

DENNIS DEPEW RETIRES AS DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

It is May 1975 and Dennis Depew stands proudly in cap and gown in front of Wilson-Wallis Hall where he had collected countless memories, knowledge, and know-how the prior four years as he worked toward a bachelor’s degree in Technology Education. His mother snaps a photo to commemorate graduation day.

Photo Contributed by Dr. Dennis Depew

A Ph.D., three daughters, and two deanships later, Depew returns with a burning question. Is East Tennessee State University still teaching-centered? As a first-generation student returning from active duty in Vietnam, he fondly remembers the professors who offered guidance and prepared him for graduate school, first an M.A. in Technology from ETSU followed by a Ph.D. in Industrial Technology from Purdue University. In fact, it was his mentors at ETSU, Dr. Carroll Hyder, Hugh Broome, Dr. Jerry Eggers, and Ben Lyle, who inspired him to pursue a path of teaching and research.

“I am a boy from Elizabethton. My grandfather was a coalminer,” he said. “I am absolutely grateful for all the wonderful opportunities that have come my way.”

His return to ETSU and quest for answers was not by happenstance. Depew was interviewing for the dean position in the College of Business and Technology and arrived with slight hesitation as to whether he could “go home again.” However, what he discovered was a campus that had certainly changed, but still felt familiar, with faculty who proudly taught freshman-level courses and beyond. He encountered a college that, under the leadership of Dr. Linda Garceau, had achieved separate AACSB accreditation in business and accounting, a rare feat in higher education.

Ultimately, Depew says it was a pull, rather than a push, from his and wife Donna’s alma mater and their hometown in the mountains of Northeast Tennessee that brought the Depews “home again.”

“This place certainly changed my life for the better,” he said. “It is where I was first challenged to think and begin searching for truth. To have the opportunity to circle back where it all began is a blessing.”

Prior to returning to ETSU, Depew served as dean at both Purdue University and Western Carolina University. For the last seven years, he has led the College of Business and Technology through a period of expansion, including enrollment growth, particularly in the MBA and Computing programs as each have added new concentrations in high-demand fields such as Cybersecurity. Additionally, Depew played a pivotal role in establishing a joint Bachelor of Science in Engineering with Tennessee Tech University, which graduated its first students in spring 2020. He also advanced Digital Media into a new department within the college that is likely to experience further growth once the MFA in Digital Media launches this fall.

On a spring day in May, Depew stood proudly, once again, for a photograph in front of WilsonWallis Hall. He was again reminded of the countless memories and interactions with mentors and colleagues first as a student, and decades later, as dean. Earlier this spring, Depew announced his retirement as dean. He returns to his faculty position this fall as Professor in the Department of Engineering, Engineering Technology, and Surveying.

Depew says he will continue to be an ambassador for ETSU just as he has supported regional partnerships and economic development. During his deanship, the college launched STRIVE, a free entrepreneurship program for veterans and service members, and iBucs, a business pitch competition for students. In 2019, the college played a key role in organizing the Northeast TennesseeSouthwest Virginia Regional Economic Forum.

Amid all the successes he has experienced, the “boy from Elizabethton” admits that his life could have played out much differently. He made it home safely following his service in the Marine Corps and married a young woman named Donna Polk who has made the journey even sweeter.

“It has been an incredible ride. I completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Ireland and traveled to China three times, but more important than any accomplishment is family. Family is everything.”

Amanda Mowell is Director of Communications in the Office of University Relations.