UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- John Hill, senior lecturer of information sciences and technology (IST) at Penn State, gave his final lecture on Dec. 7 in advance of his upcoming retirement at the end of 2016.
As he began his lecture, Hill shared the simple scope of his talk with the audience: “I’m going to impart personal lessons in the hope that they enrich your lives.” With a series of personal anecdotes ranging from serious to comedic, he demonstrated his core beliefs, including “In competition, be ruthless,” “Accept others as they are,” and “Be proud.”
Hill’s talk was the first in IST’s “Last Lecture” series. Presented by the Women in IST student organization, the events recognize retiring IST faculty by providing them a forum to share the wisdom they’ve gained from their life and academic experiences with students and community members.
The series is funded with the money Hill received when he earned the college’s McMurtry Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in 2014.
“It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do. I wanted to see if there was some way to have a long-term influence on the students,” he said. “When I came upon the idea of 'Last Lecture' as a series, I thought that’s a really cool idea.”
Andrew Sears, dean of IST, applauded Hill on his contributions to the college and his impact on its students. “John has been an exceptional educator. I’m sure many of our students would agree that he has had an impact on their lives well beyond their time at Penn State.”
In retirement, Hill plans to travel with his wife, starting with a cruise through the Panama Canal. He is planning to become a machinist, spending more time fishing and hunting, and helping to raise his three grandchildren.
Before leaving the podium for the last time, Hill said, “It’s my dream that the College of IST continues to educate tomorrow’s outstanding leaders.”
Sabrina DelViscio, the student organizer of Hill's “Last Lecture” and the upcoming president of WIST, added on Hill’s contributions: “I can speak for many of his students when I say that it was truly an honor to learn from him.”
When he was hired by IST in 2009, Hill says the college took a chance on him. “It was somewhat of a risky decision to hire me because I hadn’t taught for 25 years. But it seems to have worked out — certainly for me!” he said. His students would agree it worked out for them as well.