MORGANTOWN — Former WVU President and current law professor David Hardesty taught his final class Tuesday morning.
One of the names most synonymous with the state’s land-grant institution is officially retiring.
And he was sent out in style, following a long-standing WVU Law School tradition of students and faculty gathering in the halls to provide an ovation for the retiring faculty member — in this case Hardesty.
“It was an emotional experience,” Hardesty said Tuesday on MetroNews “Talkline” with Hoppy Kercheval.
Hardesty said his psuedo-Dead Poets Society moment, being “clapped out,” was touching.
“Mostly, it was just saying thank you for recognizing,” he said. “And I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be in Morgantown.”
Even further, Hardesty said he’d consider remaining with WVU in some capacity, but said as an academic he wanted to be able to call it quits on his own terms.
“I don’t intend to the leave the University,” he said. “I will consult some and volunteer as long as I am able.”
Hardesty, born and raised in Shinnston, attended WVU 55 years ago, served as WVU’s student body president, met his wife, and eventually parlayed his experience at WVU into becoming a Rhodes Scholar. That allowed him to spend time furthering his education at Oxford and later at Harvard.
“That decision changed my life,” he said. “I earned my degree. I became a student leader.”
Despite retiring as WVU President in 2007, Hardesty continued to teach. His final class, Lawyers as Leaders, focuses on why lawyers tend to lead important discussions.
“Lawyers lead in America,” he said. “They always have and they always will because they understand the decision process for a complex democracy like ours, a complex republic.”
Hardesty didn’t describe the moment as bittersweet. Rather, he said he’s looking forward to time with his two grown children and three grandchildren.
“Everbody’s within 30 minutes of where we live,” he said. “We’re so blessed. Every grandparent knows what I’m saying.”
