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VOL. 6 ,
No. 4 April 2010 |
Success Stories
Start Here |
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This issue of the Byrd Business Review is dedicated to Bill and
his memory. Reflective
statements are shared by his students, our faculty, and me. |
Dean & George
Edward Durell rboxx@su.edu |
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Dr. William
D. Schulte, Jr. Oct. 27, 1954 – April 10, 2010 |
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DEANÕS COMMENTS
DELIVERED AT THE SCHULTE MEMORIAL SERVICE In this very venue for the past two years plus, I have had the
privilege and honor of addressing audiences on different subjects—the
dedication of Halpin-Harrison Hall, the 25th
anniversary of the naming of the Byrd School of Business, the Business
Symposium, and many other gatherings.
Each time, I spoke from a professional viewpoint. Today, on the contrary, it is
personal. Nancy, Daniel, Mrs. Schulte, other family members, faculty,
students, staff, and friends of Dr. Bill Schulte. As the person selected to represent our faculty, today we
honor and celebrate the life and academic career of our Byrd School
colleague, Dr. Bill Schulte. When President Fitzsimmons called me about 1:30 p.m. this past
Saturday a week ago, I heard the words a business school dean never wants to
hear. For approximately the next
12 hours I did not get up from my computer and our e-mail system and the
telephone. A lot of people
needed to know what Dr. Fitzsimmons had shared with me, and action plans needed
to be developed for our students, our faculty, and our academic enterprise. My mind was very random, and it began to race in terms of
flashback conversations, meetings, and discussions I had with Bill during my
tenure at Shenandoah. We shared
several things in common. One
was an accent. I can remember
our casual conversation one day in the hallway when he went into his heavy
Cajun dialect, and I laid it on equally strong with my southern drawl. We were having fun together, and he
asked when I was going to get rid of that drawl. I told him that I was working exceedingly hard never to
lose it. He gave out that big
Bill Schulte laugh. Unable to sleep that Saturday night and after going to church on
Sunday morning, I came to this building and went into BillÕs office. I did not touch one thing, but rather
I just looked around. I needed
time to reconnect to Bill in his own personal space. What I will now share with you is
what I saw and felt that day. Immediately on the right wall as you walked into his office was a
framed picture and words attributed to King Solomon from Ecclesiastes with
which many of you are familiar.
ÒTo everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under
Heaven: A time to be born, and a
time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a
time to kill; and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build
up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to
dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a
time to embrace, a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time
to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time
to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a
time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.Ó As I pondered those words in relation to what had unfortunately
just happened in our school, my eyes then moved to the next framed statement
that Bill had hung from John Ruskin on the object of true education. ÒIt is to make people not merely to
do the right things, but enjoy them; not merely industrious, but to love
industry, not merely learned, but to love knowledge, not merely pure, but to
love purity, not merely just, but to hunger and thirst after justice.Ó From the serious side of Bill next came a picture of a bengal tiger.
Bill and I had wonderful and moving conversations about sports and
especially football. We both
agreed that there is only one supreme conference in America, and that is the
SEC—the southeastern conference.
We said all the others pale in comparison. My early academic years were spent in Oxford, MS as an Ole
Miss Rebel; Bill and his school, the LSU tigers, was our mortal enemy. He loved his tigers, he talked about
them, and it really showed. Casting my eyes on several other pictures reflected his heritage
and upbringing. Cajuns love
food, but most like it spicy and rather hot. I saw a bottle of Tabasco sauce and oysters; definitely
that was New Orleans. There was
the picture of Who Dat? the
long-remembered words of the New Orleans Saints. Yes, he strutted himself around in this very building with
his sweatshirt when the Saints won the Super Bowl. He wanted every one of us to know how proud he was of a
team who had gone from rags to riches—an underdog who had achieved
greatness. Bill was truly obsessed with Hurricane Katrina and the personal
impact it had on his family, friends, and the deep South. We talked about that devastating
situation a lot and how it forever changed him as a person. On the bookshelf was the National
Geographic cover story on Killer Hurricanes. Bill became very emotional every time he talked about the
subject, and with that emotion and desire to share observations and feelings
with others, he did research and presented papers at conferences to let
others know the personal and upclose side of this
massive tragedy. He presented
leadership lessons in terms of what did or did not take place. On the bookshelf there were two certificates that he felt very
good about. One was the framed
certificate of the Byrd SchoolÕs AACSB initial accreditation, and the other
was the Beta Gamma Sigma certificate which can be awarded
to students and faculty of an AACSB accredited school. I could not help but reflect on the
faculty retreat we had the summer after we received our accreditation
letter. That was 3 years
ago. Bill loved baseball, he
purchased one, had each of our faculty members sign it, and then he presented
it to me as symbolic of closing out the long accreditation journey and the
team effort we used to accomplish this milestone in the life of our school
and university. Bill talked
about accreditation a lot, about how proud he was to be affiliated with a
university that had that distinction and about the Byrd School mission
statement we have all been driven to achieve. During BillÕs academic career, he had earned various awards for
his professional work. I counted
5 of them on his bookshelf. I am
quite sure that other academic recognition had been extended to him as
well. Based on the action of our
faculty at a special meeting this past week, we are adding the 2010 Byrd
Award for Exemplary Service. Not
only did Bill render service to our school and university, he was one of the
leaders in our school with service work for all of his academic, disciplinary
organizations of which he was a member.
With the monetary contribution that goes with the award, the facultyÕs
desire is to have that money applied to an academic scholarship fund for his
son, Daniel. One
additional recognition will be extended to BillÕs memory at our Awards
Day ceremony in a few weeks, and that will be naming him our Beta Gamma Sigma
Professor of the Year. Next was a grouping of plaques and certificates representing the
different professional societies, including SIFE (Students in Free
Enterprise), of which he was a member.
Bill was constantly engaged in research—both in word and
action—and was one of the most productive contributors to our schoolÕs
intellectual contribution portfolio.
What pleased me so much as a dean was the
numerous faculty members in our school with whom he collaborated. He, and his joint authors, made
academic and professional presentations across America as well as around the
world. I observed many books in BillÕs office. Most of them were related to management, organizational
behavior, strategy, and entrepreneurship. The three books he was using this semester along with some
handouts were on top of his desk.
Bill had a passion for teaching, his courses, and his students. He taught not only subject material,
but he tried to impart life lessons in each of his classes. He was a master story
teller, and he asked his students to do the same. During most class periods, he asked
students to apply what they were learning in a personal way to their own
lives. He wanted to be sure they
could take concepts and theory all the way to application. From the numerous messages that I
have recently received from his students, I have learned that in selected
classes he had each person write their own epitaph to make them think about
who they wanted to be at the close of their life and how they wanted to be
remembered. He even shared his
own with them. Posted on his facebook page, it reads: "Here lies Brother Bill. He's not really dead. He lives on through the things he built, the things he
wrote, the people he taught, the films he made, and the family he
loved." Two inspirational sayings were framed. One dealt with ÒchallengeÓ and the other
Òinspiration.Ó He carried those
themes into his discussions, both in and outside the classroom, and they were
used as reminders of important leadership characteristics for the future
careers of his student body. Bill talked a lot about his family, and one person in
particular. That was Daniel, and
a young Daniel was seen on the right side of his desk. Our Byrd School family has been changed. This event has caused
reflection. It has caused us to
pause. It has reminded us of the brevity and beauty of life, as well as the importance
and value of each life.
We will always remember Dr. Bill Schulte as a member of our academic
family, but as he has already said, I live on. W. Randy Boxx Dean and George Edward Durell Chair of
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PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:
STUDENTS I would like to express from the bottom of my heart my deepest
sympathy to the family of Dr. Schulte.
I feel that no words can describe my grief for our loss. There are many terrific things that
could be recounted about Dr. Schulte.
Undoubtedly, he is an extraordinary teacher. Time with him quickly elapsed. All students enjoyed being with him. We especially liked listening to his
stories and lessons. From him I
have learned unexpected and useful things about myself, about others, and
about life. I am impressed by
his way of teaching which was based on creativity
rather than memorization. I have
realized that his way is the best, and I will adapt this approach when I get
back home. Dr. Schulte believed
that everyone has unique gifts in his/her personality, including the
attribute of intelligence. He
was willing to help each of his students to discover that uniqueness, pull it
out, and work on it for improvement purposes. I have never seen a teacher treat each of his students as
a member of his family except Dr. Schulte. I feel that I have lost not just a teacher, but actually a guide, an usher, a mentor, and a
friend. He passed away, but he is definitely within our thoughts, our
hearts, our memory, and even our words. Maliha Alshehab MBA Student
I am grateful to have met Dr. William Schulte. Dr. Schulte
had a subtle way of having a profound impact on his students. He was
always willing to help students in any way possible, whether providing moral
support, setting them up with a business contact, or offering his help to
make international study possible. He was passionate about his
profession, his hunger for knowledge, family, friends, and his
heritage. I will never forget his intriguing stories—he had a
story for just about any situation or topic. Dr. Schulte gave me the
tools to learn something new about myself every class period and it is that
knowledge that will foster my growth as a leader. Although I only knew
him for a short time, I am so proud and honored to have had the great privilege
of calling him my professor and teacher. Thank you, Dr. Schulte, for
your inspiration and for sharing your knowledge and passion for life. Kara Edmonson MBA Student
My favorite class in Shenandoah's MBA program was Dr. Schulte's
Organizational Behavior class.
Attending each week was like going to professional group
therapy—we would go around the room and rate ourselves on various
leadership attributes, and Dr. Schulte would provide thoughtful insights into
our strengths and weaknesses. It
felt like the class was taking place back in the 60's, and for a person who
lived during those times, it brought back fond memories. I was fortunate to have Dr.
Schulte as my professor again this semester for Integrative
Management. We will miss his stories and his love of New Orleans, and
we will continue to laissez les bons
temps rouler in his honor! Andrea Grund MBA Student
On behalf of the Saudi Students Club at Shenandoah University, we
want to express our sympathy for the loss of Dr. Schulte. Dr. Bill
Schulte was a remarkable man, and he made a difference in the lives of many
people at this university. Please accept our condolences at this
difficult time. Rana Hajar MBA Student
Dr. Schulte was very nice to international students and was
interested in their cultural backgrounds. He could speak several simple sentences in many languages
and liked to ask us questions about our country and culture. He was a great professor. Xiaolei Liang MBA Student
Dr. Bill took a group of people with unrelated backgrounds and cultures
and made us into a strong, functioning team. In one semester, we have
encouraged each other in professional and personal arenas. We have learned to trust
each other and collaborate to get a project done. It takes a special leader to do this. He will be greatly missed. Nancy Luttrell Graduate Nursing Student
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PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:
FACULTY Bill was a wonderful colleague who
always made me feel that he was not only a top-notch professional co-worker, but more so, a good friend. He was always upbeat and outgoing. I remember shortly after he joined
our faculty hearing Bill speak and pose thoughtful questions during
distinguished lectures, and I remember being very impressed with his
eloquence and insight, and being appreciative that he was part of our
faculty. Bill loved his work,
his academic discipline, and especially his students. I think we all have learned from our
association with Bill, and I certainly know that I have. My wife Ginny, who took one of Bill's
courses a few years ago, joins me in extending our heartfelt deepest
sympathies to his family. Bob Bonometti Byrd Professor of Information
Systems and Computer Technology
As a person, Bill was benevolent and
selfless. As a teacher, he was
inspiring and conscientious. As a colleague, he was compassionate and
supportive. Bill devoted his
life in keeping hopes and dreams alive for others. He made this world a better place to live. His passing is a great loss for us. Yvonne Chen Associate Professor of Economics
I am deeply saddened by this
excruciating blow. Bill was the
quintessential jolly, caring, and gregarious human being. His passing will surely and sorely
leave a void in our midst. I
co-authored two papers with him.
May his family find the strength to bear this great loss and may the
Lord God grant his soul eternal bliss. Nabie Conteh Assistant Professor of Information
Systems and Computer Technology
I met Bill almost three years ago
when I came to Shenandoah, and I remember how he really made me feel welcome
from the very beginning. I will
always remember his infectious positive attitude, his kindness, his
willingness to help, his strong handshake, and his warm greeting whenever we
met. His dedication and passion
would always come across when talking about his research or teaching. During the short time that I knew
him, Bill was a great friend and colleague and I will miss him dearly. Bogdan Daraban Assistant Professor of Economics
I cannot tell you how BillÕs death
is impacting me even across the Atlantic. My prayers are with his family and friends. I am not sure what I can do with this
distance, but I support any efforts to assist Bill's family. Miles Davis Associate Professor of Management
Bill Schulte and his contented
spirit will be missed. He was a supportive colleague with a good heart,
always endeavoring to bring a smile. His inspiration will remain a
guiding force for our community. My personal reflections on Bill are
that he was an avid supporter of global learning. Further, he was
vested in the challenges of those for whom life had thrown a curve—a
champion for the underdog. I am confident his passion for leadership to
create positive change will continue with many of his students and
colleagues. R. T. Good Associate Professor
Bill Schulte always had a kind word
and words of encouragement for everyone he saw. He was as full of life as he was rotund and jolly.
Bill wore his affection for his family, his home state of Louisiana,
and his alma mater, LSU, on his sleeve. Associate Professor of Finance
I saw the subject line and wondered
if Bill was in hospital, only to learn this terribly sad and stunning
news. My prayers are with Bill's
family and especially with Nancy, for whom this must be a devastating blow. Giles Jackson Associate Professor of Marketing
Being in the memorial service was
like experiencing Bill one more time—his cheerfulness, focus on
innovation and leadership, orientation toward people, and love for
creativity. We will greatly miss someone who had been a cheerleader for the
school, a mentor for students, and a friend of the faculty. Sally Kim Associate Professor of Marketing
I am so
shocked and terribly sad after I heard about Bill's death. I still cannot believe that Bill has
left us. His smiling face and laughter have reminded me of so many great
experiences with him, both as his colleague and dear friend during the past
four years. Bill was such a
genuine and sincere person, and he was always helpful and cheerful. Bill, we miss you! Bingguang Li Associate Professor of Supply Chain
Management and Quantitative Methods
Bill was always a friendly colleague
who had a very positive, can-do spirit. He worked very hard at being
successful in all professional aspects of his work, especially
teaching. His inspiration will always be with us. Sometimes we
fail to realize oneÕs greatness and impact on our lives until a tragedy
occurs. Charles Pineno Braun Chair in Accounting
This situation is terrible, just
terrible. Bill was in my office
last Tuesday. I spoke with John
Winn a while ago, and we both cried.
Bill and I chatted about golf all the time, and I have been very close
to Bill and Nancy for a long time.
As we know, Bill had been quite ill for some time. We need to come together as a faculty
and colleagues to express our prayers for the family, our love for Bill, and
ask for strength to carry us through this very difficult period. Life is fragile. Travis Sample Professor of Public Administration
Being at a conference in Las Vegas
when I heard the news, I thought of Kenny Rodgers song, The Gambler. ÒNow every gambler knows that the
secret to survivin' | is knowing what to throw away
and knowing what to keep | cause every hand's a winner and every hand's a
loser | and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.Ó I am so happy to be a member of the
faculty of the Byrd School where we are drawn from all over the world. I think that it pleases God to see us
pray for each other, and, as we pray for each other, so can all men and women
of good will. Bill, in his life,
searched for the truth and, in his death, enabled us to see the truth more
clearly. Clifford Thies Eldon R. Lindsay Chair of Free
Enterprise When Bill entered a room, the energy
level immediately went up. He had a very real presence that was shaped
by his love for life, his concern for ethics, and his dedication to
learning. To those who knew him, the world will be a smaller place from
now on. One personal example
that illustrates these points was his enthusiasm for the screening of the
movie "Wall Street" a few years ago. Bill was excited about
the lessons to be learned from that movie and personally invited me to attend
the viewing and discussion. I will
never forget how driven he was to spread the gospel of good ethics. Mike Thompson Adjunct Associate Professor of
Accounting
This is a very shocking event to all
of us. My sympathy is extended to his family as they deal with this
very difficult time in their lives. Bill will be missed greatly. Mark Tyree Yount, Hyde & Barbour Professor of Accounting
I am so very sorry to hear this sad
news. Bill was one of the kindest, most considerate, and humble people
I have ever known. He was a wonderful teaching colleague and
a great friend to all of his students. This is a terrible
loss. John Winn Associate Professor of Business Law
Bill Schulte was an individual who
loved being a professor. He was
proud of his Louisiana heritage and loyal to his alma mater, Louisiana State
University. God bless Bill
Schulte with an eternal Mardi Gras! Jim Wong Professor of Marketing and
Management
It was a delight to have Bill as an
office neighbor. I had many
chats with him and observed him interacting with his students, advisees, and
graduate assistants. He was always
very positive and supportive.
Unfortunately his health deteriorated over the past two years, and he
had some very difficult days. No
matter how much pain he was in, he always stopped by for a little chat and
shared his positivism and creative ideas. He knew how to think outside the box and thought a lot
about our school. In my last
conversation with him, we discussed how to better recruit MBA students. His death is a huge loss for our
community. IÕll always remember
him as the cheerful person he was. Mesut Yavuz Associate Professor of Quantitative
Methods and Supply Chain Management
Dr. Schulte and I both taught on
Thursday evenings this semester.
I would often see him talking to students in the hallway. One week before his last class in the
building, we had a pleasant conversation. At the time, two
international students were talking to me about being nervous about upcoming
case presentations. Bill, as
usual, shared his lighthearted spirit with the students and told them to
relax. He also shared his
experiences of motivating and inspiring through case discussions in his
classes. I couldnÕt help but notice that Bill was not in the best
physical condition at the time, but he was cheerful and positive as usual. Being a member of the Byrd School
faculty as well as a GW alumn, I will greatly miss
Dr. Schulte for his caring and love of both his students and colleagues. His teaching philosophy, his
scholarly works, and his professional achievements will inspire me to be a
better teacher and scholar. Lili Zhu Assistant Professor of Finance
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