inmemoriam Canisius Mourns Loss of Beloved Faculty Members Canisius College recently lost three dear friends and colleagues. Melvin (‘Mel’) Schroeder, associate professor of English, passed away on February 9, 2011. He was 78. John M. Kalb, PhD, professor of biology, died suddenly on December 22, 2010 at the age of 44. Canisius lost Lawrence Minet, PhD, professor emeritus of economics/finance, on November 22, 2010. He was 85. All three Canisius professors were beloved members of the college community. Larry Minet joined the ranks of the Canisius faculty in 1957 and spent 35 years at Canisius. During that time, he taught the principles of economics and helped build the college’s Economics and Finance Department. Canisius elevated Minet to emeritus status in 1996 and he became a fixture in the faculty lounge, where he spent most of his time reading. Aside from his extensive career as a professor, Minet had a lifelong interest in poetry. He authored approximately 225 poems, many of which can be read at http://lawrenceminet. com/app/index.php.
John M. Kalb, PhD
John M. Kalb, PhD
Melvin (‘Mel’) Schroeder
Minet held an undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a doctorate degree in economics from Columbia University. He also earned a master’s degree in European history from John Carroll University. John Kalb joined the Canisius faculty in 2000 and made a great impact on the Biology Department in his short tenure. Most recently, Kalb co-created the new program “Mentoring Science Scholars: Creating a Learning Community in the Biological Sciences.” The program helps academically-talented environmental science and animal behavior, ecology and conservation majors make the transition from science students to scientists. Kalb collaborated on the program with Sara R. Morris, PhD, professor of biology and Susan Margulis, PhD, assistant professor of biology. The three successfully co-authored the grant proposal for the program, which received nearly $600,000 in support from the National Science Foundation. Kalb earned his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Rochester, his graduate degree in molecular biology from Cornell University, and conducted his post-doctoral training at the University of Calgary. Mel Schroeder taught an estimated 5,000 students throughout his near half-century in the classroom. He specialized in 20th century literature, especially British literature, as well as writing and drama. Schroeder especially loved the works of Joseph Conrad, D.H. Lawrence, James Joyce and E.M. Forster.
20 |
C ANI SIUS COLLEGE M AGA ZINE • WINTER 2011
Schroeder was one of the earliest professors to teach in the All-College Honors Program, and among the first group of Canisius faculty to teamteach coursework. Literature & Philosophy; Literature, Science & Technology; and Literature, Lawrence Minet, PhD War & History are a few of the interdisciplinary classes Schroeder shared with professors in philosophy, chemistry, history, and with colleagues in his own English Department. He found the educational approach of collaborative learning beneficial for students because it led them to understand the world as a whole. Outside the classroom, Schroeder advised editors of The Griffin. He served six years as chair of the Canisius College English Department, four years as chair of the Faculty Senate, and lent his expertise to several college committees. Schroeder earned his BA and MA from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and was at work on his doctoral dissertation on the 20th Century British Novel. A memorial Mass for Mel Schroeder is scheduled for Saturday, April 30 at 5:00 p.m. in Christ the King Chapel.