Sample Stories from Grateful Graduates

The Human Side of Engineering

—John Roundhill, BSME ’67 and MSME ’73

During my Junior year, I was having second thoughts about engineering as a career, thinking that medicine would provide a more direct approach to helping people. The Vietnam War was going on and even engineering students were doing a lot of soul-searching.

As I visited with Professor Morrison in his office, I said, "I can't really decide what I want to be when I grow up." His response was classic Morrison - funny, but with a message: "I haven't decided that for myself either!"

He showed me that there is a real human-side to engineering and that, in the end, the engineer's focus is all about helping people. I will always remember his perspective and really do thank him for helping me decide on a professional path that, in the end, perfectly suited my capabilities and interests.

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Saving a Student

—Gerald A Riggs, BS ’65

I had completed a year of pre-engineering studies in 1961 at Central Washington College. I was feeling that, just maybe, I could do the work and actually earn a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U of W. I found the studies at the UW more challenging than Central but I was hanging in there. Then came one of the first ME classes called Dynamics or some such intimidating title.

Professor Morrison was our instructor. The subject matter was challenging with imaginary number equations for real physical problems and the odd differential equation thrown in for good measure. Most of our class was doing OK. Then Professor Morrison needed to be absent and a young newly minted PhD in ME took over the class. No doubt this man knew his subject. A very bright instructor. But things went downhill fast for a couple of weeks.

What was at best somewhat difficult studies (at least we thought so!) became very confusing. The connections between physical engineering problems and theoretical solutions almost impossible to comprehend. At least 2 of my classmate friends dropped out of the class and engineering as a major. A definite loss. I was beginning to think that maybe they had the right idea. Things were not looking good. Myself, well, I was willing to go down in flames so there I was with no parachute. Besides I did not have a plan B.

Then to our surprise Professor Morrison reappeared as our instructor. With a grim look on his face he asks, "What has Dr. (no name needed) done to you guys?" Within a couple more weeks Professor Morrison had us back on track and we were feeling like we really could do the work.

For me it was a turning point. From then on there was no looking back. I obtained a BSME in 1965 and then worked at a great engineering career for the next 29 years. And who knows what my future would have held if I had failed that one class. But I have to ask myself - how many other engineering students can attribute their successes to Professor Morrison and the other fine professors in the ME department at the U of W? I have to believe there are many. So my sincere thanks to you, Professor Morrison, for Saving a Student. And I wish I had known it at the time and then expressed my gratitude for the fine education the U of W Dept of ME provided me.

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He’ll Be a Lousy Engineer

—Paul Anderson, BS ’67

Like many engineering students I had chosen my major via a rather random set of criteria. I found math and science to be easy topics, I didn't want to take a foreign language and my father (a blue collar worker) was always in awe of engineers. Once enrolled I did well and never really realized that my classmates seemed to have a much higher level of interest in the profession itself than I did.

Professor Morrison was my adviser and one day, unbeknownst to him, I was walking behind him and overheard the following conversation:

Professor X: "That Anderson kid is going to make a great engineer."

Professor Morrison: "No he isn't. He'll be a lousy engineer."

Professor X: "Why do you say that? He's getting A's in all his classes."

Professor Morrison: "That's the problem. He just enjoys the tests — he doesn’t give a damn about engineering."

I reflected on what I had heard for some time and realized that Professor Morrison was right. Upon graduating I went on to business school and never looked back. The engineering training was invaluable, but I would have made a "lousy" engineer.

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His Help and Mentoring Did Not Stop with My Graduation

—Donald H. Decker, MSME ’69

My senior project class professor was Professor Morrison. By tutoring me during class on an Underwater Sonic Platform, he gave me the confidence and courage to take on a variety of assignments after I left school.

His help and mentoring did not stop with my graduation and for that I am very grateful. My first position was with Procter and Gamble. They sent me back to UW to recruit graduating mechanical engineers and Professor Morrison helped with that process. Years later when the economy took a dive, Professor Morrison, using my senior project, helped me get a position with the Applied Physics Laboratory.

I have worked for a variety of companies in engineering and management positions. While at several of these companies I was asked, "How do we recruit more mechanical engineers like you?" My response always was, "See Professor Morrison."

During my class time he was invited to golf with several of my fellow students. He would place wagers with them that he could break 100 on a regular golf course like Jackson or Jefferson using only one club. He always won as I remember.

Many thanks to him for an education well spent and well served.

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