Retiring Professor Profiles

Several professors will be retiring at the end of this academic year. This is part two of a weekly profile series highlighting what they were like then, where they are now and what they’re doing next after retirement.

Walter Will

Then: A professor who came in during a pinch.

“At the end of the 1971 fall semester, they’d had a very rough year here,” Professor of Computer Science Walt Will said. “A senior member of the math department had an attack and passed away over the Christmas holidays, so they had to hire somebody in a hurry. I was the young person then and started in the spring of ‘72.”

Now: A respected professor who helps make math a little less scary for Luther students.

“He made it easy to adapt to college and was a really kind professor to have the first time around,” Elisabeth Hottel (‘13) said. “It was a good welcome to Luther.”

Walter provides a comforting atmosphere to students through his teaching techniques and subtle jokes.

“He was one of the better math teachers I’ve had just with explaining calculus,” Laura Swanson (‘13) said. “He also makes little jokes throughout the class, which makes it fun.”

Another thing Will is known for is his eagerness in helping students outside the classroom. His goal is for students to take the extra initiative outside of the classroom to seek help as they worked their way towards an independent lifestyle.

“He was really helpful and always willing to be there,” Hottel said. “He really knew what he was doing.”

Next: A man ready to go on adventures with his family, Will plans to go hiking with one of his son’s families at Yosemite. He has been invited by his other son to visit the Boundary Waters with him and his grandson.

Walt’s thoughts on Luther: “[At larger state schools] there’s some contention between a teacher and a student. Here at Luther, I think the students kind of understand that we want them to succeed, and not that we’re trying to trap them or anything. I like that feeling; I notice it whenever I go away.”

Alan Lerstrom

Then: A multi-disciplinary addition to the Luther faculty.

“I was hired in 1988, and I came into the speech, theatre, dance and linguistics department.” Professor of Communication Studies Alan Lerstrom said.

He has been teaching communications at Luther since he was hired in 1988 and has specialized in interpersonal communication, organizational communication, and communication theory.

Now: In addition to teaching communications, Lerstrom enjoys advising students, meeting with prospective students and teaching a J-Term course on nonverbal communication in the Canary Islands.

“The thing I am probably going to miss most of all is the January term course,” Lerstrom said. “I got a heavy opportunity to get to know the students at a much more personal level, and I think that’s very important. One of my best memories is having that opportunity.”

One of Lerstrom’s strengths is his ability to connect with each student and help them individually learn and succeed.

“His willingness to help is refreshing and shows how much he cares for his students and their education,” Katie Carnes (‘12) said. “Professor Lerstrom’s ability to connect course material to real-world examples makes the classroom learning relevant beyond our time here at Luther.”

Next: Not quite done with his work at Luther, Lerstrom will be teaching one more course in the fall. After his last course, Lerstrom plans to travel and spend time with family.

“We have a son and daughter-in-law in Japan. She is three months pregnant, and we will probably wait until spring and go and see our new grandchild.” Lerstrom said.

He also plans on doing volunteer work in the community during retirement, including volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, among other service groups.

Final words of wisdom: “I’ve enjoyed watching the students grow and mature. Something that I think that students sometimes need to remember is that life is not a dress rehearsal. Everything you say and do does matter.”