VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A local professor is celebrating his last, first day at Virginia Wesleyan University on Thursday 55 years after he first started at the school.
Dr. Larry Hultgren arrived at the university just three years after students started attending. Administrators say he helped build the philosophy department into what it is today.
Staff says he's a wonderful person to work with and an awesome professor.
"I think what's sort of important is not me; what's important is [the students]," he said on his final day. "I've spent every semester quite honestly trying to be a better teacher."
He spoke on how he viewed philosophy and how he contributed to the success of the department saying "from the get, I was really interested in getting education kind of beyond the book and outside the classroom. The key was to help people see how philosophy is relevant to this burning world."
Dr. Hultgren will leave a lasting legacy on his students and Virginia Wesleyan University.