For countless students and alumni, Professor of Journalism Anthony Hatcher鈥檚 greatest lessons extended far beyond the classroom, and his retirement this spring marks the conclusion of a remarkable career defined by mentorship, connection and service.
I remember visiting 福利亚洲国产精品 in 2010, when I was still touring colleges, and hearing our guide talk about the close relationships forged between students and advisers during their academic careers. I thought it was a nice display of personal care students received, and it was one of the reasons I was drawn to Elon.
Now, as a graduate, I can attest how those connections 鈥 first planted on the university鈥檚 campus 鈥 grow into strong bonds well beyond Elon鈥檚 brick pathways and oak trees. That is true of my connection to Dr. Anthony Hatcher.
Although I only took a few of Dr. Hatcher鈥檚 courses at Elon, our paths crossed countless times inside McEwen Communications Building. Every conversation included a kind word, encouragement and a quiet chuckle. But it was a senior-year trip to Hong Kong that revealed why so many students held him in such high regard.
Traveling with Dr. Hatcher and a cohort of classmates for an Imagining the Internet project, I truly understood what great teaching looks like. Dr. Hatcher let us students take the wheel and learn by doing, producing the interviews, choosing our story angles and cutting the video. By knowing when to offer guidance and when to step back, he let his students discover how to do journalism.
But it was in the 鈥渂etween鈥 moments 鈥 a shared meal at the top of Victoria Peak, wandering the chaotic shopping markets and navigating the busy streets 鈥 that made the trip special, where I and my classmates could share stories with him, listen to the advice of a seasoned journalist and just talk about our hopes and dreams upon graduating. They say that travel often brings out the best or worst in a person, and I can say unequivocally, Dr. Hatcher shared the best of himself with us. We successfully completed that trip, bonded by adventure and nearly 24 hours of straight travel.
I鈥檓 happy to say that connection is still present today, whether through emails exchanged or virtual coffee chats. And while Dr. Hatcher鈥檚 time at Elon may be ending, his impact on students and alumni like me will live on long after departing campus.
An Emmy Award-winning communications leader, Addie Haney 鈥14 has built her career around storytelling and audience engagement. Earlier this year, she joined CNN Newsource as a content producer.