Inside Education and Health Sciences

By Emily Clemenson

Anita Middleton '77 has touched countless students, faculty and staff over her 46-year career at UD. Get to know a little bit about her as she heads into retirement this fall.

How long have you worked at UD?

I have worked at UD for 46 years; my first day was May 8, 1978.

You attended UD, right? Did you start working here right after you graduated?

Not right away. I graduated from UD in December of 1977 with a Bachelor of Music degree. I taught piano and organ lessons through Moeller Music in Middletown, and did some substitute teaching from January 1978 until I was hired in May — those few months were enough for me to know that I was not called to be a teacher! 

Do you still do anything with music?

Oh yes! I sing in the Butler Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus and we perform five or six times a year, sometimes with the orchestra and sometimes just as a chorus. I also directed a church choir for a while.

Which positions have you held here?

I was hired to work for Simon Chavez, the chair of elementary education, which was its own department back then. My office was in Chaminade Hall, room 205. 

In 1980, when the three departments combined to form Teacher Education, I worked for Helen Frye, who was the assistant chair for undergraduate education and moved to Chaminade Hall room 213. 

When Roberta Weaver became department chair, I worked for her in Chaminade Hall room 114. Then I went back to the undergraduate program. The whole office moved to Chaminade Annex, the area between Chaminade Hall and St. Mary's Hall during this time. 

In 2014, Teacher Education moved to Fitz Hall, and I worked in Fitz Hall 680 until 2015 when I moved over to the Dean's Office (Fitz Hall 618) to work for then-dean Kevin Kelly.

What are some of your favorite memories?

One would be when I received the Susan Federspiel Award in 2005.  This is an award given to an SEHS staff member once a year. I also really enjoyed attending the luncheons for milestone anniversary years and receiving a plaque.

I was on the Board for Colleagues, the organization for faculty, staff and retirees, and that was a lot of fun. We would plan luncheons four times a year, give away door prizes and usually played some type of game, like Bingo. We were also responsible for the beginning of the year's Faculty/Staff picnic. They were initially held in the Kennedy Union greenspace. Everything was free: the food, the games, we even served free beer!

What are some of the biggest changes during your time at UD? 

Well, when I started working, there was no such thing as computers! I typed on an IBM Selectric Typewriter, with carbon paper, using a razor blade to correct errors! We finally got an NCR Decision Mate but it was only used as a word processor.

I also think it is important to keep the Marianist charism at the forefront of our work here. I was invited to the Marianist Staff Retreat in 2005 because I wanted UD to continue to pursue this charism and I wanted to learn more about how to proceed. I ended up deciding that the charism begins with me and that I should continue to work with staff, faculty and students with a Marianist attitude. I became a Marianist Educational Associate with those same ideas in mind.

What are you most excited about in retirement?

I am looking forward to getting the keys to our new home, packing up and moving in late October. Then I'm looking forward to having my family over for Christmas! I can hang the Christmas stockings on the mantel on our fireplace, instead of paper-clipping them to the railing going upstairs!

What will you miss the most?

I will mainly miss the people I work with. Everyone has been so supportive and sweet — I want to give everyone a giant hug!