Ziegler, Fortenberry to Retire from Communication Department
The veteran professors will both step away after 30+ years, leaving behind impressive legacies.
Students in the Department of Communication at Mississippi College are saying goodbye to two of its most known and respected faculty members. Professors Merle Ziegler and Cliff Fortenberry have dedicated their lives to shaping students’ minds, but now they are preparing to close this chapter of their careers as they step into retirement. Their retirement marks the end of an era for the department, leaving behind a legacy of education, mentorship, and leadership.
Ziegler, who joined the university in 1994, confirmed the news with his signature humor. "That is one nasty rumor that you should believe," he joked. Ziegler has served in the Department of Communication for 31 years. He will be retiring from teaching at the end of this spring semester.
For the first thirteen years of his life, Ziegler grew up in the country of Bolivia. His parents were missionaries who worked with Ayoreo Indians, a largely uncontacted South American tribe. In eighth grade, however, his family relocated to the States.
Ziegler’s life is guided by the Word. “My favorite Bible verse is ‘thy word have I hidden in my heart that I might no sin against thee,’” he said. “If I know God’s word… and I’m very familiar with it, it’s not going to be a problem for me to apply it.”
Another integral part of Ziegler’s life is soccer. “I can never remember a time where I didn’t have a passion for soccer,” he said. “In South America, little boys grow up kicking a soccer ball.”
This passion led Ziegler to Cedarville University in Ohio. However, when a knee injury ended Ziegler’s dreams of becoming a professional soccer player, he decided to pursue missions, settling on a communication major with Bible and history minors. Upon graduation, Ziegler instead pursued his postgraduate education at Bowling Green State University, where he obtained his master’s and Ph.D. in communication.
Ziegler then taught at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia as a professor of communication for eleven years. While in Virginia, Billy Lytal, the chairman of the Department of Communication of Mississippi College offered Ziegler a teaching position, and he accepted. Ever since, he has been a full-time member of the department.
During his three decades in Mississippi, Ziegler has held a variety of positions in conjunction with his role as a professor of communication. In his first years at MC, he coached the soccer team. “They had a club team at the time,” Ziegler said. “And I thought, ‘Well, a club team can’t take up too much time.’” Even when the MC soccer club team developed into a varsity team, Ziegler continued working as a coach for its first seven years.
Ziegler also served as the faculty council president of MC, a debate coach, and the vice president, president, and executive director of the Mississippi Communication Association. “I’ve tried to do whatever came my way, whatever the Lord put in front of me,” he said.
With his 70th birthday approaching this summer, Ziegler shared that several factors led to his decision, including his wife’s retirement and a personal feeling that it was the right time to step back. However, Ziegler will continue part-time in the fall, exclusively teaching Communication Ethics while stepping away from committees and other responsibilities.
Fortenberry also confirmed his retirement following the end of the spring semester, but he noted that he will remain involved by teaching part-time as an adjunct in the fall. "I had planned to stay another year, but the university offered a buyout," Fortenberry shared. After carefully reviewing his options, he decided that retirement was the right choice.
Fortenberry joined the Department of Communication faculty in June of 1986. He has served in various roles, including Chair of the Department. The professor came from a family line of educators. Both of his parents and his paternal grandfather taught.
“I always thought it would be great to work in higher ed,” Fortenberry said. “I thought that it was a nice way to make a living. You got to impact young folks and make, hopefully, a positive impression in their life, so that when they make future decisions, they'll be able to look back to some of the lessons that they learned in the classroom. I think critical thinking and decision making are probably the best things that we can teach in college.”
Fortenberry never imagined he would teach at a four-year university. His highest goal was to be a professor at a junior college until former Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) President Dr. J. Larry Crain gave him the opportunity to teach at SLU. Crain knew Fortenberry was capable of teaching at a higher level and made an impact that lasted a life-time. The young professor would apply the same philosophy to the classroom.
“I'm trying to place high expectations and challenge students to meet those expectations,” Fortenberry said. “They don't really care for it that way, but I had so many students years later say to me, ‘Thank you. You made me work harder than I thought I could.’”
During his time at MC, Fortenberry has many achievements under his belt. Fortenberry, alongside former Department of Communication Chair Dr. Billy Lytal, pioneered the use of syllabi on campus. Additionally, he oversaw a boom in communication majors, and the department flourished to 150 students at one time. However, the accomplishments for which he is most proud are watching his children lead successful lives and his impact on students.
“I was able to get both my children to graduate,” Fortenberry said. “I watched them go on and become very successful… I've been able to influence literally several thousands of students and to mold their minds and their way of looking at things.”
With nearly 1,000 acres of family-owned land in South Mississippi, Fortenberry is eager to finally spend time outdoors, something he missed while serving as department chair and working 60-hour weeks. "I didn’t have much time to spend with my family or on the land because of my workload," he said. Now, he looks forward to reconnecting with both. He and his wife also plan to travel, noting he really wanted to experience the aspens turn golden in the Colorado Rockies.
Although Ziegler plans to exit quietly, he also has big plans for retirement. He and his wife intend to travel to destinations such as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park. He is also looking forward to spending more time with his grandchildren. “I’m gonna continue bike riding,” Ziegler said. “And I’ll probably do some coaching [for] youth soccer.”
The department will undoubtedly feel the absence of Ziegler and Fortenberry, but Ziegler believes the department is well-positioned. “I think that it’s going in a good direction,” Ziegler said. “I wouldn’t want it to change.”
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