When you've spent years nurturing and supporting great programs—like the Rachel B. Noel and Richard T. Castro Distinguished Visiting Professorships—sometimes you want to keep on supporting them, even though you've retired.

Such is the case for three former long-time Metro State administrators: Yolanda Ortega-Ericksen, Nancy Munser and C.J. White. All three have played substantial roles over the years in the success of the visiting professorships, and that is why they were asked to volunteer their time on a planning committee convened by Joan Foster, interim vice president of academic affairs, to help broaden each program's audience.

"The Office of Academic Affairs co-sponsors both the Noel and Castro professors," Foster said, "and I wanted to have a group of dedicated, knowledgeable people who would help coordinate the programs to reach more people—more students and more community members."

Foster stressed that the two professorships are not being combined into one program. "Each has its own committee and that will not change," she said.

"I've been honored to be part of the Noel and the Castro Professorships since their inceptions," said Ortega-Ericksen, who retired last year as vice president of student services. "I like the formula of the professorships—enrichment to the curricula, public forum in the community and a celebration of the accomplishments of African Americans and Latinos/Chicanos."

Munser had more than 25 years with the college serving in the President's Office and Institutional Advancement. White recently retired as chair of the African American Studies Department . As with Ortega-Ericksen, they had been on the ground floor of the development of the two professorships

Other planning committee members, in addition to the volunteers and Foster, are Chemistry Professor Wilt Flemon, Interim Student Services Vice President Karen Raforth and Chicana/o Studies Chair Luis Torres.