In Memory

The makings of a great educator begin with “compassion” Distinguished Professor Ron Cramer, Ph.D. once said. From there, amiable qualities will follow: “It is important to make time for everyone, keep your office hours, to talk, to listen, to not rush people out your door, to treat students as individuals and human beings,” he explained. “Students want to hear that you understand what they’re going through and not how much teaching is a tough job.”

Dr. Cramer passed away on Saturday, August 26, 2017 after retiring from his more than 50-year career in the Reading and Language Arts department of the School of Education and Human Services.

“We took a small department of reading, and over the course of 50 years we developed a very good school of education,” said Dr. Cramer about his start at the University in 1967. “We built it up and put together a program that was designed to treat students with respect, gentleness and compassion.”

From there, the program flourished into a department that Dr. Cramer proudly held in high esteem as part of his legacy.