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Dr. G. Malcolm Amerson
Life Sciences Professor Enjoys Lively Retirement
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By Sydney Mobley Moss ’59
How do retired college professors spend their time? According to Dr. G. Malcolm Amerson, they’re just like any other retirees. But upon further investigation, we find that Dr. Amerson is anything but typical. Dr. Amerson spent his entire teaching career at Oglethorpe University, starting in 1968—on September 1 to be exact. But when he arrived at the school, the campus was deserted and only then did he realize it was the Labor Day holiday! This unforgettable start was the beginning of an even more memorable career. Dr. Amerson retired in August 2003 after teaching biology and related subjects for 35 years. While at OU he advised the Georgia Eta chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE), the oldest and largest fraternity on campus. SAE honored him in 2006 with the Order of Minerva Award in recognition of leadership, dedication and loyal service. Dr. Amerson received many other honors, including 32 CARILLON | SPRING 2013
the Donald C. Agnew Award for Distinguished Service. This award is presented annually by members of the Oglethorpe Student Association and is chosen by that body to honor the person who, in their opinion, has given distinguished service to the university. Dr. Agnew served as President of Oglethorpe University from 1957 to 1964. In his retirement, Dr. Amerson has chosen to stay in Atlanta and has continued to make numerous contributions. A year after retiring, Dr. Amerson organized a retired faculty club at OU that meets in September and March each year on campus. Current faculty and staff are often asked to present an educational program for the club. On average, 80 percent of all faculty retirees attend these meetings, allowing them to stay involved and keep up with what’s new at Oglethorpe. Dr. Amerson’s background in biology continues to shape how he spends his time. Upon retirement, he became very interested in gardening and traveled extensively to collect various species of Hosta plants. Unfortunately, voles discovered his
Hosta beds and feasted on them. As a result, Dr. Amerson looked for a different type of plant that wasn’t so appetizing to voles. He now has several varieties of fig trees, large and small, which thrive under his care. He makes fig preserves, fig cakes and even chocolate fig cakes, which he enjoys sharing with friends and family. A graduate of Berry College in Rome, Ga., Dr. Amerson earned his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees at Clemson University after spending two years in the U.S. Army. His family includes his wife Jo, son Todd in Orlando, Fla., and daughter Jennifer in South Bend, Ind. Dr. Amerson keeps an online journal for his grandchildren, recording significant (or amusing) events in their lives.
(above) Dr. Amerson, shown relaxing in his Oglethorpe office, and at an Oglethorpe event, post-retirement with Steve Malone ’73.
flexibility that retirement allows him: he can now plan his schedule on his own terms. How fortunate we are that Dr. Amerson appeared on campus on that Labor Day in 1968! He continues to enrich the Oglethorpe community in retirement as he did while a professor.
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I’ll take ‘Liberal Arts Education’ for a $1000.
In the last year, three Oglethorpe alumni appeared on Jeopardy!, the popular game show that requires its contestants to have a broad base of knowledge. Congratulations to Natalie Knowles ’92, Tom Conn ’93 and Dave Leach ’97, who all successfully showed off their liberal arts education! Dave appeared in the Tournament of Champions in February 2013.
Dr. Amerson has taught Sunday school for many years at Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church in Alpharetta, Ga. He organized a “breakfast club” for the members of his class, which meets twice a month at a nearby restaurant. Although he is just as busy now as he was as a professor at Oglethorpe, he does enjoy the spring SPRING 2013 2013 | CARILLON 33