The Road Is Long, and the Help Is Legion

In December 1979 I flunked out of Fredonia University.
 
Yesterday, May 21, 2025 I received a letter promoting me to full professor at Hilbert College.  I was already tenured and possessed the three key degrees for English, an MA, MFA, and PhD.
 
The journey from college failure to full professor was not a journey of a thousand steps.  It was a journey of a thousand helping hands, and a thousand encouraging voices.

My sincere thanks go to everyone who helped.  An absolutely incomplete list of some of those people follows the photo.




Professor Alan Katerinsky, University at Buffalo (UB)
Dr. Vera Piper, Erie Community College (ECC)
Dr. Thea Harrington, Hilbert College
Dawn Harvey, UB
Dr. Bernhard Frank, Buffalo State University (Buff State)
Evelyn Kauderer, South Park High
Dr. Isabelle Fournier, UB, Trent University
Dr. Robert J. Sawyer, Ryerson University
Karen Kasper, Fredonia University (Fred)
Dr. Michael Brophy, Wisconsin-Madison, Hilbert
Dr. Kristine Still, University of Akron, Hilbert
Bear Acks, Triangle Tech
Dr. Monroe Eagles, UB
Scott Spetalnik, Fred
Dr. Denise David, Niagara County Community College (NCCC)
Karen Kauderer, Buff State
Dr. Megan Witzleben, Fordham, Hilbert
Mark Miller
Dr. Kari Winter, UB
Dr. David B. Schmid, UB
Dr. Susan Mondshein-Leist, Buff State
Professor Jackie Reingold, Goddard College
Professor Deborah Brevoort, Goddard
Dr. Maureen Finney, Nazareth College
Professor Susan Kim, Goddard
Dr. Michael Degnan, Hilbert
Dr. Ed Pristach, Hilbert
Professor Bruce Jackson, UB
Professor Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria
Hayden Trenholm, York University
Dr. Terence Morea, UB, Lanier Technical College
Carolyn Clink, Ryerson
Dr. Marvin J. LaHood, Buff State
Shannon Kauderer, Clarkson University
Professor Paul Selig, Goddard
Reverend Dr. Bernard Olcewicz, Hilbert
Sister, Dr. Edmunette Paczesny, Hilbert
Professor Randy Rumley (deceased), NCCC
Dr. Trina Hamilton, UB
SM Marcella Anne, Villa Maria
The Thundering Word Writers Group
Dr. James Golden, Buff State
George Sapio, Goddard
Professor Ross G. Brown, Goddard, Antioch University
Dr. Alex Pantaleev, Oswego University
Max Shenk, Goddard
Donna Stuchio, Goddard
Midge Guerrera, Goddard
Moira Kauderer, Hilbert
Professor Mwalim 7, Goddard, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Professor Kate Eskew, Hilbert
Dr. Mary A. Turzillo, Kent University
Dr. David DeGraff, Alfred State
Dr. Joel Welling, Carnegie Mellon University
Lowell Williams, Goddard
Professor Paul Bush, Goddard, Franklin Pierce University
Professor David E. Lunde, Fred
Christopher Thue
Dr. John Dwyer (deceased), Buff State
Dr. Maureen Fries, Fred
Dr. Rick Wilber, Western Colorado University
Dr. Judy Thunhorst, ECC
Dr. Elizabeth Sachs, NCCC
Dr. David Lampe, Buff State
Professor Mary Ertel, Buff State, ECC
Dr. James LaRusch, Esquire, Georgetown
George Kauderer, Hard Knocks
Herb Gierschke, Coast Guard
Dr. Pierre Blanchet, Université Laval
Dr. Amy Kauderer, UB
Dr. Amy Smith, Hilbert
Dr. Cynthia Zane, Saint Xavier University
Dr. Eileen Angelini, Le Moyne College
D. Lloyd Gray, OCAD University
David Salley, Canisius University
Marcel Gagne
Dr. Michael Frisch, UB
Judith Weiland, UB
Dr. Margaret Atwood, Ryerson
Thomas Beauford, Jr., UB
Professor Christopher Gallant, Hilbert
Dr. Richard Robison, ECC
Josh Smith
 

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