Dr. Stebbins bids farewell to MSSU after four decades

JOPLIN, Mo. — He's worked at Missouri Southern longer than anyone else on campus. Dr. Chad Stebbins will leave soon — but he's far from finished working.

"It has been a sort of a long 40 years, but at the same time, it's also passed very quickly. Seems like it was just yesterday that I started," said Dr. Stebbins.

But that was back in 1984, when Dr. Stebbins was graduating as a Missouri Southern student and moving into his career as an MSSU journalism professor.

"Personal computers were just being introduced to the campus. No one had email, no one had cellphones. It was a completely different world to produce the student paper. We did paste up with rubber cement and T-squares.

Stebbins is now the director of the Institute of International Studies but he'll retire in a couple of months, taking over as the executive director of the Missouri Press Association in Columbia.

"It's responsible for over 200 newspapers in the state, ranging from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Kansas City Star — to the Newton County News," said Dr. Stebbins.

Stebbins says it's a bittersweet change in his career – both in his current role – but also that very first beginning.

"It still goes back to the 15 years where I taught journalism, advised The Chart student newspaper, worked very closely with students, almost all of whom I still stay in contact with after so many years."

He literally worked with thousands of students during his time on campus — and it's that kind of dedication that MSSU President Dr. Dean Van Galen says they'll miss.

"When I speak to our alumni, there are a few names that pop up that really made an impact on their lives. And Dr. Chad Stebbins is one of those. Tremendous educator, kind person, great connector. He's a special person, and it will be difficult, impossible, really, to replace Chad Stebbins," said Dr. Dean Van Galen.

Stebbins will officially retire in December.