Saying their farewells to Pierce The Roundup takes a look at a number of faculty members retiring this semester

Joy McCaslin Vice President, Student Services

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She vividly remembers Pierce College’s 50th anniversary celebration, to which 50 former students were invited to speak of their lives today.

That is one of the most powerful memories she has of her 24 years at Pierce.

“It’s just great to be reminded of how many people have been affected by Pierce in a positive way,” Joy McCaslin, vice president of Student Services, said.

She started working at

Anthropological

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Among the retirements Pierce will have at the end of this semester is David Shutzer, who has been an anthropology professor with Pierce for 32 years.

Beginning in 1968, Shutzer worked at Valley College until 1980 when he worked part-time with Valley and Pierce before coming to Pierce full-time in 1985.

Of all the memories that Shutzer has of Pierce, the students he has taught are the ones he cherishes above all, and will miss most of all once he retires.

“Just great students we got here,” Shutzer said. “They’re interested

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The director of the Learning Center has decided to apply her knowledge to other aspects of her life. Kathleen Boddicker will be retiring at the end of the semester in June.

Physics

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William Duxler, one of Pierce’s prior Physics Department chairs, will be retiring after nearly 40 years of working with the school.

Duxler, who was chair of the Physics Department for nine years, excluding this year, has a long list of accomplishments while with Pierce, but still feels it’s time to retire.

“You can’t stay forever,” Duxler said.

Among his accomplishments are the creation of a test creation and grading system for teachers, the creation of the assessment testing software used across the district, and the introduction of Physical Science 13, which dealt with alternative energy

Pierce as the coordinator of the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, a program that assists qualified low-income and educationally challenged students in going to school.

Although she is deeply involved in her work, McCaslin is also a wife to Pierce professor James Dawson and a mother of two.

Dawson and her have decided to retire together. During their retirement, they plan to travel as much as they can.

“It’s time for me to retire,” she said. “I’m ready to move on to the next stage of my life.”

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After teaching at Pierce for 28 years, professor Mary Chavarria will retire at the end of this semester, leaving behind some of the best students and friendliest colleagues she’s ever known.

Chavarria started teaching at Pierce in 1984 as a full-time staff member in the English Department, and has been with the school ever since.

Over the years she has seen many sides of Pierce, but the one that stands out to her the most is how open and overly demonstrative one young couple was some years back, “going at it” as Chavarria said.

“One of my thoughts was that I hope the woman was taking birth control or some precautionary measure,” Chavarria said.

“That’s something I’ll remember, seeing that so openly done.” in learning, and they’re bright and just great students.”

Of course, Chavarria will be losing some of her favorite things when she retires: the interaction with students and faculty, the various animals she occasionally sees, but most importantly graduation.

“Seeing joy on the parent’s faces and just experiencing the exuberance, joy, and dismay [during graduation],” Chavarria said.

Paulina Giangregorio, 21, is in Shutzer’s Anthropology 101 class, and has enjoyed her time in his class.

“He’s really passionate about his subject, and that’s really hard to find in teachers,” Giangregorio said.

English major

Amanda Glover, 22, has never had Shutzer before this, but is saddened by his departure.

“I’m going to miss his eloquent lectures,” Glover said. “He has a very witty sense about him. I don’t feel a person is known for how much wisdom they have but how much they give back, and he gives back more than he has.”

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After teaching at Pierce College for 45 years, Lynne O’Hanlon, chair of the Computer Science Department, will be retiring from her current position and continuing to teach as an adjunct professor.

O’Hanlon began her teaching career at Pierce College by instructing physical education classes. Then, in the 1980’s, she learned computer science and began teaching web development classes and serving as the Chair of the Computer Science Department.

“One of my most memorable moments was while teaching archery on the fields near the North Gym,” O’Hanlon said. “One errant arrow flew over the fence, across Victory Boulevard, and through the open convertible top of a passing car. The driver was not injured.”

She has worked for Pierce College for 12 years and has been the director of the Learning Center for the past eight.

She will be one of the many faculty members here at Pierce College retiring at the end of the semester.

Riding: Roger Tishler, who teaches mathematics, poses on his motorcycle.

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However, he feels his most important work was changing the physics curriculum from lecture-based to active participation, which was based on proven techniques that were researched at the University of Washington and the University of Oregon, he said.

“[The best part was] seeing how students went from passive to excited during classes,” Duxler said.

Duxler doesn’t fret about his retiring, as he will continue to work with the district exclusively as manager of the assessment software, and will leave the Physics Department in good hands.

“We have a very fine physics staff to carry on,” Duxler said.

A 28-year veteran instructor of mathematics is joining the growing list of those retiring at the end of this semester.

Instructor Roger Tishler, who has shared his love of mathematics with students for over a quarter century, has decided to throw in the towel.

“I feel I’ve done my fair share of teaching,” Tishler said.

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He most enjoyed teaching students calculus but wasn’t above teaching classes in elementary algebra.

“I always enjoyed math,” Tishler said. “I liked to convey that joy to others.”

Tishler said that he enjoyed all his time here at Pierce College but his fondest memory was of the Farm breakfast that used to hosted by the administration.

“The deans would serve all of the staff a delicious breakfast,” Tishler said. “It’s a shame they don’t do that anymore.”

Aside from working with computer science, O’Hanlon also teaches

Robert

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After 32 years teaching chemistry at Pierce, Robert Ono will join the latest round of professors set to retire.

“My wife and I would like to spend more time traveling and pursuing a number of volunteer interests we have,” he said.

Among some of the hobbies he plans on pursuing after retirement, Ono plans to hit the golf course with his wife.

Traveling to foreign countries like Europe, Australia and Japan will also “be high on

Theory and Application of Aerobics and Conditioning, a course she created 35 years ago to train aerobics instructors and personal trainers. O’Hanlon has also authored eight books used in a variety of classes at Pierce.

O’Hanlon is looking forward to celebrating her retirement by traveling.

“My husband retired three years ago, and we plan to do some traveling in our new recreational vehicle,” O’Hanlon said.

According to O’Hanlon, they plan to take an Alaskan cruise, camp in their new RV along the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington and spend two weeks in Kauai, Hawaii.

“My teaching career has been challenging at times and very rewarding,” O’Hanlon said. “[I] still love teaching the students and seeing them light up as they learn a new skill, solve a problem or successfully complete a class project.” our lists of places to visit,” he said. Leaving teaching will not be an easy thing for Ono though.

Coming to school every day and interacting with his students will be something he’ll miss dearly, he said. Saying goodbye to the faculty he’s gotten to know will also be a challenge.

Ono is glad to leave with a lack of regrets though.

“If I had to do it over again, I would probably do it exactly the same. The opportunity to interact with many outstanding students and wonderful colleagues throughout the years has been a pleasure,” he said.

After 37 years at Pierce, microbiology professor Bernadine Pregerson has decided it’s time to join the ranks of those retiring this semester.

“I figured 85 is a good age to start thinking of another career,” she said.

Jokes aside, after 40 years of teaching, with three of those years in a part time position at CSUN, Pregerson admits she won’t completely give up teaching after her retirement this fall.

Pregerson still plans on teaching Microbiology 1 in the fall, and she’s considering Micro 20 next spring.

“I will miss [the classroom], which is why I am weaning myself by teaching a class after retirement,” she said. Over the course of her career, Pregerson said she’s learned that teaching requires dedication, but she didn’t find that too hard to do since she enjoyed teaching.

“Every day is dynamic. Every class has a personality. And being with students, interacting with them is both a challenge and a joy,” she said.

Reflecting on her time at Pierce, Pregerson is glad that she found a school made up of “a congenial group of faculty in [the life science department] and superb chairs.”

“I couldn’t have asked for a better environment in which to teach than Pierce,” she said.