LANCASTER, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) Not too many educators can say they’ve taught generations of students at the same institution. Well one University of South Carolina – Lancaster professor is celebrating 50 years of teaching.
Dr. Richard Van Hall started his teaching career at USC Lancaster in the fall of 1971, 50 years ago at the age of 28. Starting his career only a few years after the schools founding in 1959.
“Well I do the things that I like to do that is to say I’ve always loved history and when I have had other jobs I try and sneak away and read history or think about history and to get paid for it is a delight I said on many a previous interview that it’s like getting paid for eating ice cream,” says Van Hall.
Dr. Van Hall is the longest serving faculty member and over the years has taught thousands of students – who all share special memories of his classes.
“It was just amazing how he could tell a story and it was really like telling a story and I really liked that I was a history major I did liberal studies in history and I look forward to his classes because you could just sit there for hours and listen,” says S.C. Representative Brandon Newton — also a Outreach Coordinator for USC – Lancaster.
Brandon Newton, formerly Dr. Van Hall’s students and now colleague says the professor has inspired his political career. USC – Lancaster’s leaders say Dr. Van Hall also inspires his colleagues to love what they do.
In the video above, CN2’s Rachel Richardson is speaking with the schools community about how this professor has become a USC-L institution himself.
