| i September 29, 2003 The Lion’s Eye Pye on CAMpPus Page 3 ‘Diehard, true-blue Penn State fan’ Delco campus pauses, honors the memory of Dr. Bob Stout By RENEE BLISARD Lion’s Eye staff writer REB202@psu.edu Dr. Robert Stout, administrative director and professor of business, passed away Sunday, June 1, 2003 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton, N.J. of a blood clot. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 34 years, Nancy, two sons, Brian and Michael, daughter-in-law, Tina, grand- son, Joey, brother, Jim, and sister, Betsy. Stout had a longtime association with Penn State. "Bob was a diehard, true-blue Penn State fan," said his wife, Nancy. He grew up in State College, Pa., where his father was a member of the faculty of Penn State Main as an eco- nomics professor. Later, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in edu- cation, Master of Science degree in economics, and doctorate in economics from Penn State Main. Stout joined the Penn State Delco faculty in 1975 and won the Outstanding Teacher Award in 1979. For a time, he worked at Widener University in Chester, then for 12 years as Executive Director of the New Jersey Council of Economic Education. When he returned to Penn State Delco in 1998 for five more years, he made quite an impact. "Bob's work has resulted in the growth of the academic program on campus, the expansion of opportunities for students to engage in meaningful 'senior' experiences, improvements in quality of the degree offering across College, and much needed faculty lead- ership on the many challenges associ- ated with offering a Penn State degree at 12 locations," said his friend Dr. Richard Barrett, senior instructor of business administration. Stout met his wife Nancy at a dance at the University of Delaware when she was a senior studying elementary edu- cation, and he was a high school social studies teacher and football coach. They married August 9, 1969. "Bob was a distinguished teacher and an outstanding Christian man and I was blessed to call him my husband," said Nancy. A man of many interests, Stout liked to run, fish, golf, spend time with his family, and teach adult Sunday School at New Life Christian Church in Newtown, Pennsylvania. He ran 10 marathons, including seven in New York City, two in Boston, and he Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D C. Friends say Stout was a man who was kind, caring and compassionate. He also had a singular passion for depictions of pigs. They were every- where in his office, in all shapes and sizes. There were portly plush pigs, hairy ceramic hogs, brass oinkers, you name it. Similarly, "he had an intense pas- sion for people," as friend and campus director of financial aid Sylvia Schaeffer put it. Many people described Stout as a humble Christian man, friend, and mentor. "He didn't take himself too serious- ly," Schaeffer said. "He never said any- thing negative about anyone. I feel that I should try to emulate him." Gordon Crompton, of Penn State Delco Computer Services, described his close friend "Bob" as a Christian man driven by God. "His motivation was Jesus," he said. "People would wonder what was differ- ent about Bob, and then the door would open for them to Jesus." Stout was equally as attentive to the ana Penn State Delco campus picture Dr. Bob Stout, left, never tired of working with his students, and would frequent- ly accompany them on projects. ‘He had an intense passion for people,’ said one member of the Penn State Delco community. lives of his students through help, encouragement and caring. "Dr. Stout would get to know your strengths and weaknesses and praise or help you accordingly," said Caroline Fellows, his former student and a Penn State Delco alumnus who graduated with a bachelor's degree in business. "The way he handled himself gave you something to aspire to." Stout went to great lengths to help students reach their goals. "He took great pleasure in seeing our BSB students blossom into gradu- ates," said Dr. Barrett. "It may sound cliché, but he was able to look at life's failures as tremendous lessons. I am sure that student who spent time with New campus entrance scheduled for Fall ’04 Photo by Jeff Huber The new north-end entrance is near completion. By CHRISSY GREENAN Lion’s Eye staff writer CMG196@psu.edu The estimated $1.75 million campus entrance project is on target for comple- tion for the Fall 2004 semester. PennDOT is scheduled to have the construction part of the project done by next spring, weather permitting. The new entrance has been under considera- tion for several years because of the dan- gerour nature of the existing traffic pat- tern at the intersection Route 352 and Yearsley Mill Road. There is hope the new entrance will provide a safer route into and from the campus, as well as for traffic going past the campus on Route 352. The new entrance will provide a traf- fic light as well as a left-turn lane which, according to Dave Horevay, campus director of safety and security, “will help if the campus has to be evacuated during emergencies or if there are large events held on the campus.” What will become of the existing campus entrance is still unclear. For the time being, the university plans to keep it open, but according to Lisa Yerges, director of business services, there is dis- cussion about roping off the existing entrance and using it only for emergen- cies. him over their years at PSU Delco saw that he encouraged everyone he advised or taught to think in larger terms than today and tomorrow.” Another way he displayed his caring for his students was by helping them found the student organization called the Student Business Association. "In the Student Business Association, he got students thinking like businesspeople, taught us how to network, and took us on small trips to the World Trade Center in New York and to Wall Street," said Fellows, who served as the SBA's president in 2000. Stout traveled to each of his stu- dents’ internships just to see how they were faring. "He came to Philadelphia magazine to visit me," said Fellows. "He did this for everyone. If you needed help, he would do what he could right away." His caring was not limited to stu- dents' professional lives. He would go out of his way to listen to their person- al problems, too, his friends say. There was a memorial and pork roast in honor of Stout in the Classroom Building Sept. 24. His friends, family, and students remi- nisced, laughed, and cried in his mem- ory. A memorial garden and pond, to be located next to the Classroom build- ing, and a Penn State scholarship in his name, the Robert L. Stout Memorial Award, were dedicated to him. Signs tacked up all over bulletin boards and Stout's office door in the classroom building express what every- one is feeling. The signs say, "Bob Stout, forever in our hearts." Che Rey ig
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