Pictured from left: Professor of English Peggy Morlier, Professor of Sociology Cheryl Brown, and Assistant Professor of Nursing Maureen Newton.
By Suzy Alstrin
After years of dedicated service, mentorship, and scholarship, several esteemed faculty members at Reinhardt University are preparing to turn the page to a new chapter: retirement. The legacies of Dr. Margaret (“Peggy”) Morlier, Dr. Cheryl Brown, and Dr. Maureen Newton were honored during a heartfelt celebration held on April 16th. As they step into this next phase, the Reinhardt community reflected with gratitude for their countless lectures, personal connections, and lasting influence.
Dr. Morlier, Professor of English and Associate Dean of Arts & Humanities, joined Reinhardt’s faculty in 2000. Reflecting on the past 25 years, she said, “This is my favorite job of all the jobs I’ve had. I am very grateful for whatever spirit led me to this institution.” Dr. Ken Wheeler, dean of the College of Humanities, Sciences, and Technology stated, “Dr. Peggy Morlier is appreciated both by her colleagues and students by how attentively she listens to them, and how carefully, thoughtfully, and respectfully she responds.”
In 2012, Reinhardt welcomed Dr. Cheryl Brown, Professor of Sociology. Her warm spirit lit up her classrooms and meetings with colleagues. Her zeal for international study for students opened the world to them on dozens of trips across the globe. “She has a heart for students and a heart for all the right things that our society needs to be looking after,” remarked Reinhardt President Mark Roberts. “She’s been a great blessing to our students.” Dr. Brown responded, “Just because I’m retiring doesn’t mean I’m going to stop traveling. Dr. Graham Johnson has already convinced me to come back and help with Reinhardt’s Iceland trip next year.” She added, “Everyone at Reinhardt has contributed so much to my life.”
Dr. Maureen Newton served as assistant professor of nursing since 2018 and played an integral role in the development of the program. “Dr. Newton continually challenged students to meet and raise professional standards,” reflected Dr. Kimberlin Zelinsky, Interim Dean of the Cauble School of Nursing and Health Sciences. “She worked relentlessly to inspire our students to provide excellent, compassionate care for those with mental illness and other vulnerable members of our community. Outside class time, you could often find Dr. Newton with a whiteboard tutoring a student on dosage calculations.”
With a remarkable 45 years of combined service, these three retirees leave Reinhardt with a legacy of excellence, inspiration, and heartfelt appreciation from the entire University community.
