Pitt-Greensburg Says Farewell to Retiring Faculty

After years working as members of the Pitt-Greensburg faculty, Mr. Rick Fogle and Dr. Stephen Schrum are retiring at the end of the Spring 2022 semester.

Fogle has worked as Pitt-Greensburg’s Dean of Student Services for 37 years, making him the second-longest serving officer in the history of the University of Pittsburgh system. He is most proud of his contributions to the establishment of Pitt-Greensburg’s Counseling Center in 1988, as well as its Career Services Center, Student Activities Center, and the Health Center in 1989.

“This [position] was an opportunity to grow some things, create some things, and that’s very rare for higher ed.” Fogle said. “I just think back to my time in grad school, and as an undergrad, every place was already established. Even in Oakland, very specific people had specific jobs, and that’s all they did. You know, they stuck to their basic job description. That wasn’t the case here, and I liked that.”

Fogle started working at Pitt-Greensburg in 1985. He said a lot has changed since then and he is grateful to be a part of the campus’s progress. During the construction of Chambers Hall, Fogle said he was responsible for the development of its student resources like the gym and dining hall.

“I talked to a colleague in Oakland that I worked with, and I said I need to buy chairs for the dining room, and she said, ‘Why are you doing that?’ with an attitude.” Fogle said. “And I said, because nobody else is. There was just nobody else that was going to do that kind of work, and I enjoyed it.”

When he retires, Fogle said he and his wife plan to move west towards Columbus, Ohio, where their son Nicholas lives and plays golf.

“We’re not big golfers, but we certainly do it. That’s just my wife and I, we golf maybe a handful of times a year when we’re here. So we’ll be able to do that a little bit more. And she wants to do that,” Fogle said.

Dr. Schrum has worked as an Associate Professor of Theatre at Pitt-Greensburg for 17 years. He directed a total of 88 plays throughout his career. He is most proud of his contributions to Pitt-Greensburg’s Visual and Performing Arts program and the accomplishments of his former and current students.

“It’s been ups and downs over the years, but the thing I think of most as my legacy is my students.” Dr. Schrum said. “It’s nice to teach a class and two years, three years later, somebody says, ‘Hey, I remember that class. I remember that thing you told us.’ They get back in touch with me and tell me what they’re doing—even if it’s not in Theater.”

Earlier this month, Dr. Schrum directed his last play for the Pitt-Greensburg Theatre Company, “The Great American Trailer Park Musical.” Last week, former and current students from the Theatre Company held a retirement reception for Dr. Schrum outside Ferguson Theater.

“It was interesting reflecting back on that room, because I’ve had several different offices, but I’ve always been in a theater pretty much every semester doing a show.” Dr. Schrum said. “But one moment I had one night, I had a really kind of wistful moment about, ‘Oh, I’m gonna miss this space.’ So Ferguson theater has been kinda like a second home for me, for the past 17 years.”

After his retirement, Dr. Schrum said he plans to travel with his significant other, Joyce. In the meantime, he said hopes to continue his creative endeavors in theater.

“I have a lot of creative projects in mind: writing things, short films,” Dr. Schrum said. “My resume boasts 88 plays that I’ve directed, but I want to make 100. Before I’m really done, I gotta do that somewhere, and just keep busy with being creative.”

Pitt-Greensburg police officer Simeon McClain will also be retiring at the end of the semester.