Evaline Echols is pictured here, center, with Lee President Paul Conn, left, and Business Department Chair Dewayne Thompson.
Alan Burns, center, is pictured here at his reception with business department faculty and staff at his reception.
Ron Harris
Robert “Bob” Griffith
Lee University held receptions to honor four senior faculty members who are retiring from full-time positions. The events recognized with gratitude and appreciation Drs. Alan Burns, Evaline Echols, Robert Griffith and Ronald Harris.
Dr. Burns, associate professor of business, and Dr. Harris, associate professor of science education, will pursue full-time retirement from after 50 and 37 years of teaching, respectively. Dr. Echols, professor of business education, and Dr. Griffith, associate professor of mathematics, will continue as part-time senior adjunct faculty.
Dr. Burns joined the faculty in 1979 after a distinguished career in the United States Air Force. He has enjoyed working with students and has been a recipient of the department’s Advising Award.
Dr. Echols, who has the longest tenure of any employee in Lee history, has worked at Lee since 1967 when she began as the administrative assistant to the president of Lee College. In 1984, she served as the chair of the Business Department for several years and has taught classes including Business Communication, Communication and Leadership in Organizations, and Managerial Communication.
Dr. Griffith has worked at Lee since 1970 for the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. He has taught calculus, statistics, and trigonometry and has been listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers six times.
Dr. Harris has worked at Lee since 1966, also in the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. He has taught classes such as physical science, earth and space science, and chemistry. Harris is one of only two teachers in Lee history to serve 50 consecutive years on the full-time faculty.