1. When did you first join the University of Rochester staff?
I started in the fall of 1995 with one section of Reporting and Writing the News. That seems like a long time ago, but some things remain the same. Students are always unhappy about parking — or the lack thereof — on campus. They are always suspicious (maybe with reason) that the administration will take away their constitutional right to have Dandelion Day.
2. What is your favorite class to teach?
I usually like the one I’m with, but if I only could teach one it would be Feature Writing. We read some really terrific non-fiction prose, and the students get to try their hand at writing stories with more flavor than the basic news story.
3. What are you involved in outside of teaching classes?
I retired from the Democrat and Chronicle in 2007 but still write a weekly column for the paper. It’s called Good News, kind of a strange label, but it means I can write about happy things and stay away from politics and crime. I also do freelance stories for the paper, which allows me to continue to report and roam about, notebook in hand. Beyond that, there’s some volunteering and too much time, I imagine, sitting around with friends and drinking coffee or other beverages.
4. What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
In lieu of running, which I used to do a lot of, I ride my bike, looking for routes that are always downhill. My wife, Cindy, and I go to a lot of movies and travel some, always to Maine in the summer. There are grandchildren to indulge.
5. Any advice to the graduating seniors?
The graduating seniors should be giving advice to me, as they do, I guess, when they school me on Twitter and other essential matters. But, without sounding too trite, I would say you should travel when you can, you should maintain your Rochester friendships and you should not lose faith in yourselves. I’ve been lucky to meet a lot of terrific people at the University of Rochester and they’ve done awfully well after graduating. It happens. It really does.