In Memoria – Robert W. Lockwood
In late December 2022, Robert “Bob” Lockwood, Criminology & Criminal Justice Professor Emeritus and former PSU NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative, passed away as a result of an illness. Bob started his career at PSU in 1975 as one of the original faculty members in Administration of Justice, which eventually became the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice (CCJ).
Bob earned a JD from the University of Oregon and Political Science MA (University of Michigan) and BA (Kalamazoo College) degrees. As a former criminal defense attorney at the Metropolitan Public Defender Office, Bob taught all of the law-related classes in CCJ for 40 years until his retirement in 2015. From 1984-2015, Bob also served as the NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative, becoming well-known around campus for his deep commitment to the support and academic success of PSU’s student-athletes. Post-retirement, Bob and his wife relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida where he continued to teach online for CCJ and more recently law-related courses in Political Science.
Bob was a ball of energy and contagious excitement about education and teaching. The term “student-centered” is an apt description of Bob’s career focus at PSU. For decades, CCJ students would line up outside his office door choosing the face-to-face oral exam option he offered in his classes, as well as to seek his advice and career guidance.
Despite beginning teaching in an era where a chalkboard was the only classroom tool, Bob gravitated to online education in the mid-2000’s and became a big proponent. Bob quickly became one of the most popular professors in the CCJ Online program, devoting countless hours to implement what he called “total quality management” in his courses. Remarkably, Bob managed to maintain his high level of very active engagement with his students across many years. Even as his health declined in December, Bob continued to prepare to do what he loved – teach exceptional Winter 2023 courses for online students in both CCJ and Political Science.
Among Bob’s endearing qualities was an uncanny ability to find locations around campus where a food spread was available. Bob loved to snack throughout the day and knew all the prime locations. As a dedicated mentor, Bob personally trained new CCJ faculty and staff in his methods of loading up leftover catering at campus events to bring back to the Department. Upon his 2015 retirement, the CCJ Department unveiled to Bob a plaque containing his picture and inscribed, “Robert Lockwood Honorary Snack Preparation Area.” The plaque continues to hang over the counter in the fifth-floor kitchen of the Urban Center Building.