After teaching for the university for over three decades, two ISU faculty members are giving their last exams, packing up their offices and saying goodbye to the college as full-time professors.

William Edwards, professor of agricultural economics, has been teaching farm business management at Iowa State since 1974.

Edwards did not know when he started teaching at Iowa State as a graduate student that he’d be here for so long.

“When I finished my Ph.D., there was an opening in the department of economics,” Edwards said. “I’ve been here ever since.”

Edwards never went looking for other job opportunities, and no other offers looked attractive to him. Being originally from Iowa, it was easy for him to stay.

A majority of his time was spent teaching farm business management. He hopes students have taken away at least one key concept and that is “an appreciation for how good records and good planning can help them be successful in farming, and that farming is a business just as much as it’s getting out and riding on the tractor,” Edwards said.

Edwards also taught agricultural finance last year, and about two thirds of his time is spent doing extension programs, or adult education for farmers.

Advising the agriculture business club has been one of his favorite parts of his time at Iowa State, he said.

“It’s great to get to interact with student in a more informal basis,” Edwards said.

Edwards will still be doing work for Iowa State, but on a much more flexible time commitment. He hopes to get to see his grandchildren grow up, take more vacations with his wife — starting with a trip to Alaska this summer — and continue to watch Cyclone basketball.

“It’s been fun to follow the Cyclones all these years through the ups and the downs,” Edwards said. “We will certainly continue to do that.”

Tom Beell, professor of journalism and mass communication, started teaching at Iowa State in August 1975 after receiving his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin.

Beell had a passion for print journalism at a young age, but slowly became interested in broadcast in his college years.

Beell says he thinks it was his skills that got him hired at Iowa State.

“Generally speaking, … I was hired because I knew how to shoot and edit movie film,” Beell said.

Beell never thought about leaving Iowa State throughout his 38 years here.

“I have never had any desire to leave because I really loved it here. I like people, students and the professional focus,” Beell said.

He became very involved in local media organizations like the Ames Tribune. He also assisted in the production of shows for WOI-TV, where he taught students how to edit film.

This required him to get up at 2 a.m. to start working by 3 a.m. He would then go back to Hamilton Hall around 8:45 a.m. and teach all day.

“By end of the week, I was exhausted,” Beell said.

Beell has a lot of little plans for retirement. He will continue to work for the local radio station, teach a class for the college of seniors, be involved in political parties, catch up on DVDs and books, and learn to play the organ.

He is even thinking of traveling to the location of the old Roman Empire, since he collects Roman coins.

Beell would continue to teach if he could, but he realizes that media is changing rapidly, and his knowledge of new technology is not as sharp as his knowledge of the old.

“In some ways I feel a little obsolete,” Beell said. “The world has turned on its axis, time has passed, and this is a new era for new people and new ideas. It’s time for me to step aside.”