By Leona Baker 触听 May 10, 2011
鈥淚鈥檝e had great fortune here at Virginia Wesleyan because I鈥檝e been able to lead three lives,鈥 says Dr. Bill Ruehlmann as he leans on a table in the newsroom of the Marlin Chronicle thumbing through the latest issue, 鈥渢he scholarly one, the teaching one and the advising one鈥攊n meaningful ways.鈥
He says he鈥檚 stayed at VWC as long as he has for one reason: it鈥檚 fun.
鈥淭he students are fun to be with. They鈥檙e smarter than I am, which is great because I can learn from them. But they鈥檝e also taught me there鈥檚 a time to graduate, so perhaps that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 doing now.鈥
Ruehlmann, 65, officially 鈥済raduates鈥 at the end of the current semester after 18 years as a professor of journalism and communications. A tireless advocate for the First Amendment, for the journalistic enterprise and, above all, for his students, Ruehlmann was recently recognized as VWC鈥檚 first annual Kappa Alpha Professor of the Year.
It鈥檚 not the only award he can brag about. The offices of the Marlin Chronicle in the Batten Student Center are plastered wall-to-wall with clippings and awards, including 11 recognitions this year alone from the Society for Collegiate Journalists鈥 national competition. Ruehlmann credits these honors to his hard-working student journalists.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a complete operation in that we do all of our own stories, our own pictures, our own art and cartooning, our own layouts,鈥 he says of the Chronicle. 鈥淣othing is syndicated or borrowed. It鈥檚 all student-generated in real time, and we鈥檝e never missed a deadline. I鈥檓 very proud of that.鈥
Over the years, Ruehlmann has encouraged his students to hold an unflinching mirror up to what they see around them鈥攇ood and bad. A college campus, he explains, is a microcosm of the real world where they鈥檒l be expected to do just that if they decide to pursue a career in journalism. He considers the endeavor a public service. The myriad awards the Marlin Chronicle has received are a form of validation.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e been judged by professionals over the years to be better than competent, and they鈥檝e been consistent. They鈥檝e never had a losing season. And it鈥檚 not my paper. It鈥檚 the student paper. My role was to advise when asked, to make it possible for them to print. It was their job to get the news, and they did it with integrity and a sense of humor鈥攖wo things that don鈥檛 often go together, but they did.鈥
鈥淭he role of journalism has never been more important. Whether it appears online, in the air, on pieces of paper鈥攏o matter where it is, it is the responsible promotion of truth."鈥擝ill Ruehlmann.
Ruehlmann sees the journalistic process as a form of continuing education.
鈥淛ournalists are the last perennial students,鈥 he explains. 鈥淭hey go into an editor and say, 鈥楥an I write about this?鈥 The editor sends them on their way, they come back with a story, and the editor pats them on the head and puts it in the paper and sends them off again. That鈥檚 what a teacher does. You鈥檙e a lifetime scholar as a journalist really.鈥
In the digital age in which we are bombarded at every turn by 鈥渧oices telling you things and selling you things,鈥 he says, trained professional journalists are needed more than ever.
鈥淭he role of journalism has never been more important,鈥 says Ruehlmann. 鈥淲hether it appears online, in the air, on pieces of paper鈥攏o matter where it is, it is the responsible promotion of truth. Journalism isn鈥檛 dead, but it needs to be encouraged to stay alive, and that鈥檚 our job.鈥
Before becoming a professor, Ruehlmann worked for many years as a general assignment reporter, feature writer and columnist for a variety of news outlets. He continued to write professionally while teaching fulltime and still publishes a biweekly literary column called 鈥淏y the Book鈥 in the Virginian-Pilot.
鈥淭he thing that I will miss the most when I leave is the students,鈥 Ruehlmann says. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e taught me the possibilities of teamwork. As a reporter, you鈥檙e a lone ranger really, and you usually prefer it that way. You don鈥檛 want people hovering over you. I never was a team player, but I learned the value of that and even the family of that. I cherish that. It鈥檚 made me a better man.鈥
After retiring, Ruehlmann plans to travel and focus on his own writing.
鈥淚鈥檓 not too old for adventure. That鈥檚 part of the attraction. I think it鈥檚 time for another adventure, time to take another step beyond the routine and see what it provides me. If nothing else it will give me more time to reflect.鈥