Ithaca College

Submitted by Tanya Saunders, Assistant Provost

William Sheasgreen, director of the Ithaca College London Center, has announced his plans to retire after forty years of dedicated service to Ithaca College. He started teaching for the Center in 1975; his favorite course was Modern European Intellectual History. In addition, he served as an advisor for the London Center Freshman Program and, in 1997, took on the responsibilities of the Center director. In this capacity, he has been an executive member of the American Association of Study Abroad Programs in the UK and was the Association chair from 1998 through 2006. But these titles don’t adequately capture who Bill is and what he has meant to all of us who know him and work with him, whether as students, faculty, staff, or alumni.

Bill Sheasgreen and his wife, Lynne, have served as our anchors in the UK and in Europe. They have welcomed and hosted all of the faculty and administrators who have visited from the Ithaca campus. Lynne is known for her lively gourmet dinner parties and beautiful garden. Together, Bill and Lynne have strengthened the ties between the College and its alumni for whom the London Center experience was the highlight of their undergraduate years. He is held in high regard by London instructors who have served our students well under Bill’s leadership. Our students have long asserted that Bill “knows everything about everything,” and we feel their assessment is indeed accurate! Bill is known for his willingness to help others, and his requirement that we walk, walk, walk (!) our way through history and towards a better understanding of the cultural richness and diversity to be found beyond the boundaries of South Kensington. He is an exemplar of the bridge between academic and student affairs, meaning he is a scholar who is adept in engaging with students both in and out of the classroom.

During his time at the Center, Bill has developed and led history walks across England, Ireland, and Wales; introduced us to the mysteries of cricket, ceilidh dancing, and haggis; helped us to understand British humor, and revealed the relevance of history to our circumstances in the present day. In addition to serving as Director of the London Center, and teaching in the areas of history, sport, and British youth culture, Bill has served as a resource to the Dr. Martin Luther King Scholars Program, the College Honors Program, and the Theatre Arts Program. We have been extraordinarily fortunate and thank William and Lynne Sheasgreen for all they have done in support of the Ithaca College London Center. We will miss them.

Students are invited to say farewell to Bill at the Coffee Talk on Friday, March 20th from 2:30pm to 4:30pm in Klingenstein Lounge.

Faculty and staff are invited to a reception in honor of Bill and Lynne Sheasgreen from 5:00pm to 6:30pm in the Dillingham Lobby on Friday, March 20th.