From the "Ouachitonian": Dr. Joe Jeffers
January 01, 2020
Some people strived to leave behind a legacy. For others, it just happened naturally. For Dr. Joe Jeffers, it was the latter. After 45 years of teaching at Ouachita, Dr. Jeffers stepped aside from his many accomplishments to give someone else the chance to fill his shoes.
Over the years, he taught a variety of different courses. But in his last year at Ouachita, he finished with teaching some of the classes he had taught from the beginning and some that were near to his heart: organic chemistry and biochemistry. Every day, Jeffers spent hour upon hour in the classrooms and labs of Jones Science Center, impacting students’ lives and helping them learn in a new and exciting way.
“I tell my students, I’ll do anything but take the test for you. I’ll help you in any way I can, but when push comes to shove, you’re the one who has to recall the information,” said Jeffers.
Jeffers enjoyed teaching because, he could see the impact his lessons and lectures had on the students in his classes. He said that from his view in his classroom, he could see the moment when students had a breakthrough. He loved that moment when he could read students faces and see the lightbulb go off.
“I think one of the important things in teaching is being able to present a particular concept in more than one way. If it were just straightforward, they could just read the book, and they don’t need me,” said Jeffers.
Jeffers was a Ouachita graduate himself, only departing briefly while he attended Purdue University in Indiana and received his Ph.D in biochemistry and molecular biology. As soon as he came back, he began making a difference, starting with his implementation of the faculty colloquium in 1974. However, his creativity did not stop with creating a place for faculty to feel celebrated and praised. In 2001, with the help of colleague Tim Knight, they created Scholar’s Day.
Through Jeffers creating these places for members of the Ouachita community to really be showcased, he came to understand after nearly five decades just why Ouachita is such a special, unique place.
Though Jeffers spent a lifetime building a legacy at Ouachita, he did not let teaching become the entirety of his identity. He maintained his quick wit and sharp mind over the years through having a number of different hobbies such as travel, reading, yard work, hiking and volunteer work.
Although he taught science classes for years, that was not all Dr. Jeffers wanted students to take away from their experience at Ouachita. In his opinion, a lot of lessons were things that were best found outside of the classroom.
Jeffers filled a number of roles over his years at Ouachita--a professor, a dean, a colleague and a friend. Long after he had left the Ouachita community, Jeffers would be remembered as a man who loved his students, loved his job and made a difference. His legacy would remain untarnished, his achievements would remain unchanged and the lessons he taught would remain timeless.
“Never stop learning. We’re just arming you with the tools it takes to learn. If you hang it up when you leave here, you’re not going to go very far,” said Jeffers, “Enjoy what you’re doing, like people, stop and smell the roses. Go out and hike; nature is beautiful. Enjoy the world. Be an optimist.”
By Taryn Bailey
Photo by Andy Henderson
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