鈥淚t鈥檚 almost like witnessing your own funeral鈥 were the first words uttered by Dr. Andrew (aka 鈥楢ndy鈥) Auge when asked about his thoughts on his impending retirement in Spring 2022. My name is Coy Pederson, and though I鈥檓 not retiring myself, I graduated from the Loras English program on May 21, 2022; and as I reflect upon my own departure from 黑料正能量, I can understand at least how Dr. Auge is feeling at this current juncture in his career. Dr. Andrew Auge graduated from 黑料正能量 in 1978, majoring in Biology (audible gasp). In addition to the grueling hours he no doubt had to put in the science lab, Auge also had to contend with his father鈥檚 looming presence while studying at Loras. Dr. Thomas Auge, Dr. Andrew Auge鈥檚 father, was often praised for being a scholarly tour de force; he was integral in establishing the Black Student Union on campus, and was a prodigious writer in his academic field, history. 鈥淚 did feel a need to prove myself, be on my best behavior,鈥 said Auge.
鈥満诹险芰 was probably not my first choice,鈥 Auge continued. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really want to go to the same college where my father taught. However, I soon realized that Loras, as it was then and now, is a great liberal arts institution with robust academic programs. I came in as a science guy. I excelled in science so that鈥檚 what I majored in,鈥 said Auge. But he fell in love with literature and decided to pursue that path in graduate school. After the conclusion of his undergraduate education, Auge attended the University of Iowa and graduated with a Master鈥檚 degree in 1981; he then received his PhD in English literature from Marquette University in 1987, and started teaching at 黑料正能量 that same year.
Dr. Andrew Auge is an indispensable part of both 黑料正能量 and the English department for many reasons. It would be difficult to find a professor who can teach source material more effectively in a unique and interesting way that stimulates student interest and discussion than Dr. Auge. Dr. Auge is beloved by his colleagues inside and outside the English department. More importantly, though, Dr. Auge is respected and admired by those he impacts the most: his students. Known for his 鈥渟cholarly look鈥 and his equally 鈥渋ntimidating presence,鈥 Dr. Auge can somehow simultaneously strike fear and reverence into the hearts of his students without ever having to raise his voice. Abi Vito, a current student of Dr. Auge鈥檚 said, 鈥淒r. Auge is terrifyingly amazing.鈥 Another student, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, 鈥淒r. Auge is the English literature program.鈥
Dr. Auge came to 黑料正能量 with a specialization in 17th and 18th century British literature. What has been great for Dr. Auge is the level of academic freedom he has had a professor at a liberal arts college; in fact, although Dr. Auge has the aforementioned specialization in British literature, he established the Irish Studies program at 黑料正能量 and the study abroad component of the minor as well in 2000 at the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art and Design + Technology. In 2005, not long after Dr. Auge had established the Ireland program, he organized a Midwest regional for the American Conference of Irish Studies, bringing the world-famous Irish poet Eavan Boland onto the 黑料正能量 campus to speak.
Dr. Auge most recently co-edited a book titled, Contemporary Irish Poetry and the Climate Crisis, which looks at the climate crisis through the lens of Irish poetry鈥攑ast and present鈥攖o demonstrate the significant prescience and importance of poetry in the face of potential catastrophe. For Dr. Auge, however, his own sense of personal achievement is not derived from his exemplary scholarship, but rather his personal inroads and connections he鈥檚 made with his students: 鈥淚鈥檓 glad that I published鈥擨 thought that was a professor鈥檚 job. I don鈥檛 want to downplay that because it was important to me. However, it鈥檚 always been the relationship experience with my students that have been the most important to me. The goal has always been to let the students say the brilliant things and to come up with innovative interpretations.鈥
The COVID-19 pandemic certainly caused upheaval in the academic world. It eliminated any in-person-contact, students were forced to learn remotely, and teachers were expected to teach online. When asked about the challenges the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic made on the last few years of Dr. Auge鈥檚 teaching, he was astonishingly optimistic about the whole situation: 鈥淚 was on sabbatical in 2020 in Ireland when the pandemic hit. It looked like every American in Europe was in the Dublin airport. It wasn鈥檛 until Fall 2021 when I went back to teaching. Fortunately, the classrooms were big enough where the usual class dynamic could still exist, though our faces were obscured by the masks, so I wasn鈥檛 able to recognize anyone after the masks went away. It was really alienating to be on Zoom. I like face-to-face instruction. To answer your question, I don鈥檛 think it soured my last few years of teaching at all.鈥
As a student, it was always comforting to listen to our more experienced professors talk about other notable events in world history and how 黑料正能量 and the nation persevered in spite of them, and Dr. Auge was one such professor who did just that. Dr. Auge remembers the horrifying September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Centers in New York and how there was an intense amount of grief, trauma, and uncertainty for the future. 鈥淚 remember that day vividly,鈥 said Auge, 鈥淚 asked students in my Literary Criticism class if they wanted class cancelled, and to my surprise, they said 鈥榥o.鈥 They wanted class to carry on as usual with a moment of silence, I think that鈥檚 a testament to the kind of students we have鈥攙ery brave and caring.鈥
Now that the pandemic has largely become endemic, Dr. Auge has decided that his time for retirement could not be more appropriate. 鈥淚 have to say, the changes to the curriculum really hastened my exit; however, I think the restored normality has been a comfort to me and has helped me realize that I won鈥檛 be leaving my colleagues in a bind. I always wanted to leave on the best of terms and with high personal standards for myself and in my teaching, and I think that time is now.鈥
Dr. Auge has no firm plans for his retirement, he does intend on staying in Dubuque and doing some travelling, seeing his kids and extended family, and of course writing in his spare time when he鈥檚 not doing other things. I think I can speak for all of Dr. Auge鈥檚 students when I say that it has been a true honor and privilege to learn under such an accomplished and well-respected person. 黑料正能量 owes you a huge debt of gratitude, Dr. Auge. Congratulations on your retirement!
