Each month we will add a "Piece of History" about the School of Continuing Studies to expand your knowledge and appreciation of your Journeys in Lifelong Learning as a member of the School of Continuing Studies family, whether as a student, alumni, faculty or staff member. Understanding where we have come from will help us take pride in recognizing the opportunities presented by our Odyssey - Journeys in Lifelong Learning at SCS.
A FREE copy of Odyssey - Journeys in Lifelong Learning is available. Call 804-289-8133 or e-mail us and we will send you a copy of a numbered, limited edition book about the history of SCS.
Introduction (Continued)
Shotzberger arrived on campus in his uniform, wearing the ribbon for his recently awarded Silver Star, the nation’s third highest decoration for valor. Pinchbeck greeted him warmly, shared a few stories about his recent service in the Navy and offered Shotzberger the chance to earn his degree. “I’ll let a hero into Richmond College,” he remarked. Shotzberger immediately threw himself into his studies. He graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a year later, earned his masters degree. Shotzberger’s first teaching experience came at Lynchburg College in 1949. He then returned to the University of Richmond in 1953 as director of evening classes, after which he received his doctorate in 1960 from Ohio State.
The evening school thrived in the 1950’s, providing that adult education was an idea whose time had come. In 1958, Shotzberger took a position teaching economics and business administration at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. There he became Director of the Management Center, which ran classes for businesses on campus and at work sites. The center served some of the nation’s largest firms, including Kellogg’s, Whirlpool, Upjohn and numerous paper making companies. Shotzberger learned volumes about school administration, attracting non-traditional students and working with businesses.
Sensing that Shotzberger’s experience would prove invaluable to the University of Richmond in establishing a new continuing studies program, President Modlin began discussions with Shotzberger about forming the school, its mission and Shotzberger’s role there. The two men quickly agreed on a plan, shaped by Modlin’s insistence that every aspect of the new school serve the primary mission of sharing the University’s resources with the community.
While hundreds of details shaped the school, Modlin and Shotzberger focused on a few key facets. They insisted on hiring great teachers. Many adjunct professors would come from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, which employed numerous well-trained economic and financial experts who held doctorates. They agreed that the new school would continue some of the evening school’s most successful programs, including its Bachelor of Commerce degree, a Master of Commerce degree and 18 business certificates in various topics, including banking. Other new programs would include a Master of Humanities, an associate degree in Liberal Arts and creation of a Management Center. From its inception, Modlin and Shotzberger had a clear vision of the new school’s mission and function. In 1962, they began to turn that vision into a reality.
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Did you miss an installment? Visit scs.richmond.edu/history for a printable version of the entire series.
