DR. TERRIS NEUMAN A Bittersweet Farewell

DR. TERRIS NEUMAN ’77 has been an integral and irreplaceable member of Southeastern University for 37 years. Whether he was teaching as a professor of religion or working in student life as dean of men, he always served with excellence. Neuman officially retired at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. He intended to stay a year longer but decided to retire earlier due to the health risks posed by COVID-19.

Originally beginning his long-running history with Southeastern as a student, Neuman enrolled in 1973 as a freshman majoring in pastoral ministries. He had given his life to Christ two years before, after Yancy Spencer, a widelyknown professional surfer, witnessed to him behind his surf shop in Pensacola, Fla. Shortly after, he began attending a local church with Spencer and Spencer’s brother, John. During this time, Neuman heard a message that led him to God’s call to attend Southeastern.

“I remember hearing John 15:16, ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit — fruit that will last — and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you,’” said Neuman. “That’s when I knew where God wanted me.”

It was during his first semester at Southeastern that Neuman met his wife, SHARON (PIPER) NEUMAN ’76. Sharon went on to have a successful 32year career in education, only recently retiring from her role as principal for the local school board. They first met in Bush Chapel, which was brand new at the time. Once the second semester rolled around, Neuman tried his luck and asked her out on a date. “I got so lucky,” he said. “One of my favorite memories with my wife as students was seeing her become homecoming queen.”

After graduation, Neuman ended up in Midland, Mich., where he spent two years as a youth pastor before moving to attend Wheaton College in Illinois for his master’s degree. At Wheaton, Neuman worked 40 hours a week as the first janitor in the new Billy Graham Center. He then went on to graduate from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga., with his master of theology (Th.M.) and doctor of ministry (D.Min.) degrees. When he received the opportunity to return to Southeastern, Neuman was pastoring a local church in Albion, Mich.

Although he originally applied for a faculty position, Neuman returned to Southeastern as the dean of men in 1982, and it wasn’t until 1986 that a position opened up for a full-time faculty member. As dean of men, Neuman oversaw all of the male dorms and was responsible for handling any necessary disciplinary action concerning the students within those dorms. He also offered them spiritual counseling when needed.

“One time the boys in Bauer Hall pranked me by moving all of my books and bookcases into the shower,” recalled Neuman. “Another time someone had put a greased pig in the library during finals week — we had fun.”

As a professor of religion, Neuman taught courses covering the books of Romans and Hebrews, the pastoral epistles, the prison epistles and the general epistles. His favorite class to teach was The Life of Christ, and he loved any class he had with freshmen. Neuman said, “I enjoyed trying to relate the gospel to students of all different majors.”

He also had both of his sons, CHAD NEUMAN ’01 and NATHAN NEUMAN ’02, in class. Nathan is a manager at Publix Corporate Headquarters in Lakeland, and Chad is currently the chair of the Department of Design & Communication for the College of Unrestricted Education at Southeastern.

“Whenever I was in the classroom with students in front of me, I felt at home,” said Neuman.

His passion for educating was evident to students and faculty alike. “Dr. Neuman has been a legend at SEU. He has impacted thousands of lives because of his incredible teaching,” said