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Professor Rick Firenze writes:

As announced to our campus last week the Biology Department has lost one of its brethren. Prof. Emeritus David Sterling passed away on Saturday, March 16. I thought it might be nice to offer those who did not know Prof. Sterling an insight into this consummate educator. What follows is my Chair’s evaluation of Dave sent to Dean George Higginbottom in June of 1987. I hope it also brings a little smile to the faces of those who had the pleasure of knowing this unique man.

To: George Higginbottom, Dean – Liberal Arts Division
From: Richard F. Firenze, Chair – Biology Department
Subject: Prof. David Sterling – Evaluation 
Date: 6/4/87

Although I have yet to receive an evaluation packet from Prof. Sterling this does not come as a complete surprise nor even a mild disappointment to me. There are some who were simply meant to “march to the beat of a different drummer.” Dave is one. This in no way should be construed as a negative commentary. In fact just the opposite. Dave is perhaps the most talented, creative, imaginative, unique instructor we have in the department. What he lacks in organization he makes up for with a mind that ties in Swedish fairy tales with cellular biology and Japanese poetry with evolutionary design. David truly reaches a high percentage of his students and does the one thing all of us as educators try so desperately to do. He gets his students to think.

Dave is also a tremendous asset to the department for the exact same reasons he is an asset in the classroom. He thinks beyond the normal boundaries and often comes up with solutions to departmental problems that were invisible to the rest of us.

We are proud to have David as a member of our department and hope he continues to listen to that drumbeat and keeps on marching.