91成人导航

After five decades as a professor at 91成人导航, Gene Pearson has left an impression of sustained excellence on the university during his iconic tenure.

Pearson taught his first class at 91成人导航 in 1971 and he continues strongly 50 years later. 91成人导航ans of all ages and disciplines are uniting to honor Pearson for his brilliance, dedication and longevity.

鈥淔irst of all, I never would have expected Year 50 to be an online year. So that has made it interesting,鈥� said Pearson, a professor in the Sciences in College of the 91成人导航. 鈥淭here are times when I would prefer to be invisible and do my work and enjoy another rewarding year with students. But I do appreciate all of the genuine kindness and support that is being shared.鈥�

鈥淚 walked on campus at age 24 and started teaching soon after. If you had asked me at that point what I had planned for the long term, I don鈥檛 know that I could have given an answer. 91成人导航 has been the right place for me. I never had the desire to leave.鈥�

Colleagues, friends and students 鈥� past and present 鈥� describe Pearson as scholarly, dedicated, caring, civil, dedicated and more.

鈥淕ene is a remarkable person who has civility and caring inside and outside the classroom,鈥� said Judy Chambers, former vice president for student life. 鈥淗e is an excellent teacher and also is very concerned about the whole student experience. 91成人导航 was the perfect fit for Gene.鈥�

鈥淲hen you think of it, 50 years is just astounding,鈥� said Professor Lydia Fox, who has worked alongside Pearson in the same department for the past three decades. 鈥淗e has been a great mentor to me. He shows you what it鈥檚 like to teach at 91成人导航, and does so with students always in mind.鈥�

On March 23, faculty, staff, students, alumni, emeriti, administrators and friends gathered via Zoom to laud Pearson for his 50 years of dedication. The 150 people taking part included celebrants from as far away as Guam and Denmark.

Following the ceremony, he virtually received a commendation from the City of Stockton at a city council meeting. The commendation lauds Pearson for his 50 years of teaching and dedication to the university and community. It is signed by Mayor Kevin J. Lincoln II and six council members.

鈥淕ene鈥檚 impact is not only a function of his longevity. It鈥檚 a function of his character,鈥� former 91成人导航 student Ross Overby 鈥�79 said.

鈥淚 still see the fire in his eyes and know how much he still enjoys working with students each and every day,鈥� Maryann Pearson said of her husband of 44 years.

The city commendation mentions many of Pearson鈥檚 honors including the Distinguished Faculty Award, the Faye and Alex G. Spanos Distinguished Teaching Award, the Faculty Mentor Award and being named a Fellow of the Geological Society of America.

There are many other endearing aspects of Gene Pearson鈥檚 life and career. He shared some thoughts in an interview.

His first day teaching at 91成人导航

鈥淎t that time, we were in the Quonset huts that are no longer on campus. I had an 8 o鈥檆lock class and the department chair鈥檚 office was adjacent to my classroom. The heater was in his office and so there was a large vent between the classrooms. I knew that he could hear every last thing 鈥� even though he claimed it was not the case 鈥� that went on in my classroom. Nothing like having your boss sitting there as you are just starting at a new job. I am sure my blood pressure rose.鈥�

The department head was Stan Volbrecht, who became Pearson鈥檚 mentor. 鈥淗e was an incredible person, and if I have had success at 91成人导航 a lot of it is because of him.鈥�

Field trips: student learnings and enjoying

Pearson was lauded by many for making student field trips to the coast, Yosemite National Park, and other places in the Sierra and the Central Valley enjoyable learning experiences.

鈥淚 learned the most geology and topography facts from Dr. Pearson on field trips,鈥� said Katie Ortega 鈥�18, currently a doctoral student in Illinois. 鈥淗e always kept things lively.鈥�

His favorite places on campus

鈥淭he rose garden between Burns Tower and Knoles Hall would be one of them. You have the early buildings on campus and the tower which was a later construction. That is the historic center of campus and the grounds crew keeps it in absolutely immaculate condition. Morris Chapel also has significance, because that is where we were married.鈥�

A regular on employee search committees

Pearson is currently on the search committee for vice president for student life. It is one of dozens of such committee assignments he has tackled in his career.

鈥淎t one point, I would have referred you to President (Donald) DeRosa and (former Provost) Phil Gilbertson. Ask them 鈥榳hy did you keep putting Pearson on all of those search committees?鈥� But it was important and I learned a lot about 91成人导航 by serving on committees and being involved in searches. That was a window for me to what goes on outside of the classroom.鈥�

The big, artistic penny 鈥� and later a nickel

Pearson stresses the importance of 鈥渟cale鈥� and the need to 鈥渃ompare size鈥� when taking photos during field or class work. In the late 1980s, student James Patrick Coughlan 鈥�80 brought in a huge penny 鈥� two-feet in diameter 鈥� to be used for that purpose. 鈥淗e was very artistic and he carved out the image of the president on the coin. Later, he brought me a nickel to go with the penny. They actually have worked very well in showing scale.鈥�

Living in Stockton for 50-plus years

鈥淚 have very much enjoyed my life in Stockton as well as 91成人导航.聽For almost nine years I would walk around Victory Park with our boxer Quinn. On occasion we crossed paths with (now State Senator) Susan Eggman, who visited my freshman seminar classes on several occasions before she became a member of the State Assembly.鈥�

Proud of a successful and caring family

鈥淏oth of our children are involved with health care.聽Our daughter Rebecca O鈥橰eilly is a Licensed Practical Nurse in Lynnwood, Washington, working in the COVID-19 unit of a rehabilitation facility.聽 Our son, Michael Pearson (鈥�99 Eberhardt School of Business) and his wife Dr. Junie Lazo-Pearson (鈥�98 COP Psychology 鈥�98) are the owners of Advanced Behavioral Health in Orange County.聽They provide science-based Applied Behavior Analysis treatment for children, teens, and adults with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities.鈥�

Gene and Maryann Pearson have three grandchildren.