The professor who began ISU’s classical studies program will be heading off for a new job this summer.

Jim Ruebel, professor of foreign languages and literatures, is leaving in July to become the new dean of the Honors College at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.

“It’s a new level of commitment to that level of education, and I’m very excited about that,” he said.

He said Ball State’s program is well-developed.

“This particular program is a very good honors program, and it’s committed to undergraduate teaching,” he said. “I very much liked the people I talked to when I was there. It all looks like fun to me.”

However, he said he will miss Iowa State.

“It’s a big change for me, as well as for the other people around me, so there’s some regret about leaving,” he said, “but I’m excited about the opportunity, too.”

Ruebel said he will miss his colleagues and friends as well as the students and the Ames community.

“There have been a number of quite extraordinary students who have come through here,” he said. “I’m going to miss the students maybe more than anything, or at least as much.”

Madeleine Henry, associate professor and chairwoman of foreign languages and literatures, said Ruebel is an asset to the department.

“We’ll miss him, but it’s such a good opportunity for him that we’re happy for him,” she said. “He’s an excellent leader and is very good at developing humanities curricula.”

She said Ruebel has won the National Award for Outstanding Teaching in Classics, and he has written a Latin textbook. He is also a member of the Classical Association of the Midwest and South, which brings together college professors and high-school teachers.

She said Ruebel came to Iowa State 22 years ago to begin a classical studies program.

“When he first came here, he was hired to bring classical studies officially to the university, and he did a really good job of developing a basic program that could become more sophisticated as time and resources permitted,” she said.

Ruebel said starting the program was a great experience for him.

“The classical studies program didn’t exist when I got here, so the creation of the classical studies program was one of the high points,” he said.

Henry said when Ruebel was chairman of the foreign language department, he continued to teach nearly full time, which helped the program grow.

“When he came here, he was the only classicist,” she said.

Now there are about four permanent faculty members teaching classical studies in the foreign language department, Henry said, as well as a full-time ancient historian in the history department and professors from other departments teaching classical studies.

“Because of the very intelligent way in which he started the program, that made it possible for us to grow in the way that we have,” she said.

Henry said classical studies is a difficult field.

“This is a demanding field of study because you have to know Latin and ancient Greek very well in order to do original research,” she said. “It’s one of the most demanding fields in the humanities.”

She said classical studies is a very important part of a university.

“The best universities always have classics,” she said. “It’s considered a core humanities discipline. You’re not a real university unless you have a classical studies program.”