During the faculty promotion and retirement ceremony, Professor of Kinesiology Patricia Van Oosbree, Professor of Chemistry Devin Iimoto, Professor of Art History Paula Radisich, and Associate Professor in Education Shannon M. Stanton Agbotse were celebrated for their service as they retired. Political Science Professor Mike McBride will retire after the 2024-25 academic year.
When he retires, McBride will have worked at Whittier for 56 years — the longest tenure in the institution’s history. His accomplishments include serving as an advisor to the Lancer Society and Palmer Society for more than 40 years and as director of study abroad for 25 years. He has run the Model United Nations program since 1971, with Whittier hosting the Model UN Conference in San Francisco 10 times. He will continue to serve as associate director of the Institute for Baseball Studies after retirement.
Some of his fondest memories over the years include giving his daughter, Jennifer, an outstanding student award, being present for Erin Clancy ’07 to receive the State Department’s Distinguished Honor Award for her role in the evacuation of the Syrian Civil Defense from Syria in 2016, winning the first Harry W. Nerhood Teaching Excellence Award, and watching Kacey Whitney ’19 make a Willie Mays-style catch in a tournament-winning softball game.
McBride said he relished how Whittier gave him the freedom to teach a variety of courses — more than 50 over his career — but above all, he valued the inspiring community of faculty and students he worked alongside.