Richard “Dick” Lura, professor of chemistry, is retiring from teaching at the end of the semester.
“I’m glad to have been able to teach this long,” Lura said as he reflects on his teaching career at Milligan College.
While getting his graduate degree at Iowa State University, Lura realized he liked teaching and found it “kind of fun.” He wanted to teach chemistry, because it sounded intriguing.
“It’s what you are,” he said.
But after seeing young professors at large universities struggle, he decided he did not want to teach at a large school.
“A small teaching position sounded ideal.”
From southern Wisconsin to Milligan College, Lura described how he ended up at Milligan as a “fluke.”
“This opportunity honestly fell in my lap,” Lura said. “My sister was going to Milligan during my graduate school, and she was also babysitting for Dr. Robert Wetzel’s kids.” Wetzel was a professor of humanities and philosophy at the time.
One day Wetzel asked Lura’s sister about her family, and she told him she had a brother studying chemistry in graduate school. Wetzel told her Milligan needed a chemist and promptly asked for Lura’s contact information.
Lura started working at Milligan in January of 1971 but took four years off due to his wife working on her Pathology Residency in Richmond, Va. One of those four years was counted as a sabbatical.
“In terms of seniority, it’s 43 years, but when people ask, I just say that I came in 1971, and people can do their own math.”
The highlights of Lura’s teaching career are evident all throughout his office. His walls are covered with photographs from school trips taken with students and Professor Emeritus of Biology Gary Wallace.
Lura says the students, faculty, environment and community are what make Milligan special. He said the faculty treated him well and everyone got along.
“It’s a great place to work,” he said. “ I like the students, and it’s a fun group to work with.”
As Lura looks toward retirement, he jokingly talks about getting to nap more, but he has mixed feelings as well.
“There is going to be a little sadness, and some people I am going to miss, but I can always come meet with people and talk with them,” he said.
Lura really feels that it is his time to retire.
“I wanted to retire before someone had to tell me that I had to retire,” he said.
As Lura starts to get ready for his retirement, he said he will leave Milligan with some great memories and some sadness.
Lura simply says about his time at Milligan throughout the years, “It’s been fun.”