Kind Mentor

I was saddened to read about the death of Dr. Gerard O'Donovan ("Friends We'll Miss," spring 2014). I was one of those 200 graduate degree recipients he mentored. In fact, if it wasn't for him, I might not have earned my master's degree.

I was a full-time teacher and needed to earn a master's to keep my job. I talked to several universities in the area, but all required me to be a full-time student -- in other words, to quit my job for 18 months. Since I was married and had house and car payments, that was not an option.

I remember meeting with Dr. O'Donovan, fully expecting to be told the same thing, but instead he told me not to worry and that he would make it work. He even taught me one genetics course individually as a special problems course.

Without his kindness, I am not sure I would ever have earned my degree. Thanks to him, I had a 34-year career as a biology teacher and have spent the last two years at Eastfield College in Mesquite as a microscopy lab coordinator and adjunct professor of biology. He was a great man with a big heart.

P.S. I have to tell you one funny thing about Dr. O'Donovan. The first time I was in his lab I was surprised to see he had boldly labeled all the equipment with the letters "GOD." At the time, I didn't know those were actually his initials. Later, I realized the label included a period after the G ("G.OD").

Murry Gans ('78, '87 M.S.)
Irving

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