I came to Denton as an English graduate student in the fall of 1989, planning to specialize in 20th century British literature. That changed when I took Dr. L. Robert "Bob" Stevens' seminar entitled "Victorian Science and Religion." The "religion" part was a bigger draw than the "Victorian" angle, but I became a convert early in the semester (perhaps during the very first class meeting).

I went on to take many more classes from Dr. Stevens and greatly enjoyed them all. When it came time to do the dissertation, he helped me decide to write about the sermon, which has been my research specialty ever since. I currently direct, in fact, the Center for Sermon Studies at Marshall University, where I am an assistant professor of English.

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I find myself often quoting Dr. Stevens' words to my own students. The ones I use the most are, "If college doesn't change your mind about at least one thing, you probably ought to ask for your money back."

I close with a line from Robert Browning that Dr. Stevens wrote in the book he gave me as a graduation gift. It comes from the poem "Fra Lippo Lippi," and it reads "God uses us to help each other so,/Lending our minds out."

For that thought, and for everything you did to set me on the path to where I am today, I say, "Thank you, Dr. Stevens!"

Robert H. Ellison
('91 M.A., '95 Ph.D.),
Huntington, W.Va.