By Stephanie Gonzalez ’13 M.A., visiting assistant professor, School of Arts and Communication
At the end of the spring semester, Florida Tech said farewell to one of its most visionary and valued professors: Robert Taylor.
Taylor retired after nearly three decades of service with Florida Tech and the College of Psychology and Liberal Arts, having impacted the academic culture of the university and numerous students and colleagues.
Born in Pennsylvania but raised in Fort Pierce, Florida, Taylor began his academic path with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from the University of South Florida and a Ph.D. in history from Florida State University. His career at Florida Tech started as an adjunct professor, a role that quickly evolved into full-time assignments and leadership roles.
During his career, he served as professor, department chair and dean, earning awards for his teaching skills and changing the organization of the university.
“How will this work? For 25 years, Dr. Taylor has been a dedicated pillar of our faculty, deeply committed to the success of both students and colleagues,” COPLA Interim Dean Lisa Steelman said. “His support, leadership and friendship have left an indelible mark on our college, and he will be greatly missed.”
Other faculty, including Heidi Hatfield Edwards, head of the School of Arts and Communication and associate dean of the college, commended Taylor’s leadership during challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Under Dr. Taylor’s leadership and vision, the humanities and communication department grew to become a School of Arts and Communication,” Hatfield Edwards said. “His willingness to work across disciplines—both within the school and across campus—fostered a collaborative community of scholars.”
“Bob is much, much more than a colleague,” said Florida Tech historian and longtime history professor Gordon Patterson. “He is a wellspring of talent, insightful wisdom and an unwavering source of collegial inspiration. He possesses a rare dedication and commitment to excellence that permeates everything he does, and in doing so, he invariably makes a difference in the lives of those around him.”
“Bob is much, much more than a colleague. He is a wellspring of talent, insightful wisdom and an unwavering source of collegial inspiration. He possesses a rare dedication and commitment to excellence that permeates everything he does, and in doing so, he invariably makes a difference in the lives of those around him.”
Gordon Patterson
Taylor is a teacher at heart and loves being with students in the classroom. Even while serving in the labor-intensive position of dean, he still taught at least one class each semester—a move several colleagues questioned. But he felt spending time in the classroom environment was essential.
“You either have that urge to teach, or you don’t,” Taylor said. “I like it too much to ever give it up, and if I’m going to be leading teachers, I’ve got to be in the classroom to see for myself what’s going on.”
His passion and dedication to teaching earned him the Teaching Excellence Award, a moment he fondly remembers as a highlight of his career.
“That made me really feel good because that’s my peers here at the university saying, ‘Hey, you’re doing a pretty good job,’” he said.
His students also praise his enthusiasm as a professor.
Adam Cote, an aeronautical science with flight student, took Taylor’s U.S. American History: Reconstruction to the Present course, and he was never bored.
“I’ve always liked shows about historical topics, and Dr. Taylor makes his classes feel like I’m watching a history show on TV,” Cote said.
Taylor’s favorite class to teach, though, was U.S. Military History.
“I’ve taught this class every spring for years, and the Army ROTC cadets have to take that class to be commissioned as Army officers.”
Taylor trained at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to complete the Army’s Military History Instructor certification, through which he learned how different Army culture is from academic life and how to bridge the gap between the two.
“It was an amazing experience,” Taylor said.
His impact has extended well beyond the classroom. After serving as an assistant professor of history, he took on leadership roles that helped reshape COPLA structure. One of his proudest achievements is the role he played in growing the humanities and communication department and advocating for its transition to the SAC.
“That was quite an achievement,” he said. “I wasn’t sure they were going to do that for us. I had to educate people to exactly what we did here and how important it is.”
Taylor is optimistic about Florida Tech’s future, growing as a successful STEM university with integral and active liberal arts programs.
“There is an energy on this campus that you don’t find in a lot of places. When these kids talk about going to Mars or about inventing the next technology breakthrough, it’s very exciting,” he said.
While Taylor transitions out of his role at Florida Tech, he has many plans for retirement, starting with moving the contents of his office to his home with his wife, Virginia.
He plans to continue several writing projects, including a book that is under consideration by the University of Alabama Press and a piece about Fort Pierce’s naval base in World War II.
He’ll also spend time working on several Civil War projects, some of which have been waiting in his closet for decades, and hopes to travel, including another visit to Alaska.
“I’ve always wanted to take one of those St. Lawrence River Canadian cruises, and I’ve never seen the redwoods in California.”
Even in retirement, Taylor plans to remain engaged with Florida Tech.
“There are people on campus who have retired from other disciplines that have been a model for me. These people are still involved, still engaged and still contribute. That’s how I would like to be,” Taylor said.
Since he joined the university in 1996, some things have changed, some things have stayed the same. But in short, he said:
“It’s been a wild, wonderful ride.”
