2008 Woodie Awards
SRU Professor displays compassion over vast career
By Liz Cooper
Issue date: 9/30/05 Section: Life
|
Dr. Powell was one of the three original professors in 1965 to start teaching in the political science department, back when the university was a State College and the classes were taught in Old Main. His admiration for his professors throughout college drives his love for teaching.
Besides being a favorite professor among SRU students, he is a licensed soloed aircraft pilot, a lawyer, served in the New York State Guards and later the U.S. Army Air force and was an international exchange professor in China. That's without mentioning his hobby of restoring old military aircraft like his F-86 fighter plane from the Korean War that is on display in an aviation museum in Titusville, Fla.
Dr. Powell's adventurous life starts back in New York City during the Roaring 20s.
"It was a time when the stock market crashed and the nation entered the worst depression in history," Powell said.
Growing up during World War II, his love for his country encouraged him to serve in the New York State Guards and later join the U.S. Army Air Force. He was part of the first branch in the USAF after its separation from the Army in 1947. His duties while in the Air Force included electrical work and helping aircraft take off and land in bad weather, also known as "radar" work. He is also a legal officier ranked as a Major for the Civial Air Control, Jag. Jag is part of Homeland Security ,an axillary of the USAF.
His first love, though, isn't his collection of old military aircraft, but his wife of 36 years, Nancy. She is originally from New Castle, Pa., and received her bachelor's degree in elementary education, her master's in English and doctorate from Slippery Rock. Powell taught Nancy in his American National Government class at SRU and they both served in the Air Force together. They have four children: Walter, Cassandra, Grace and Alex. They are all college graduates and two of them are former SRU students. The oldest son, Walter, graduated in 73' from SRU majoring in History and than recieved his doctorate from Kent State. Cassandra, the second oldest studied abroad in England at the University of Leeds. Grace recieved her Bacholar of Science degree in Nursing at SRU. She currently works on campus at the Health Care Center as a RN. Alex, graduated from Virginia Tech and is currently a CFO. The Powell family tree also includes nine grandchildren.
