After a year in the president’s office, Richard Seagrave relinquished his Beardshear office to President Gregory Geoffroy July 1, making a smooth transition back to Sweeney Hall and his first love – the classroom.

Seagrave only taught during one of the past five semesters, and now the distinguished professor of chemical engineering said he is excited to get back to his students.

“I’m looking forward to going back to the classroom,” said Seagrave, who served as interim president after former president Martin Jischke left for Purdue University before the 2000-2001 school year. “I’m teaching three courses in the fall – one for sophomores, one for juniors and one for seniors – and they look like they’ll all be fun. This is a great department, and we get great students.”

In the spring, Seagrave will fly to Florence, Italy, for a semester as the faculty director of the first honors semester abroad. The trip was planned for Spring 2001, but was postponed because of Seagrave’s presidency and budget problems, he said.

He will work with faculty from the British Institute’s Florence facility to help 15 to 20 students take courses in a variety of areas, including economics, engineering, Italian, politics, post-war Italian cinema, public space, religion and science.

“We have great faculty and students, and it’s a rewarding experience to be able to work with them,” Seagrave said.

As president last year, an $18-million cut in state funding was the biggest challenge, he said.

“This is a great university” Seagrave said. “We have a lot of really impressive departments and programs, and I didn’t want to harm any undergraduate programs.”

Government of the Student Body President Andy Tofilon said working with Seagrave was a valuable experience.

“He made sure he had all the ideas and perspectives before he made a decision,” said Tofilon, senior in journalism and mass communication and political science. “Seagrave was the best interim president students could ask for.”