When professionals ask me about what it’s like moving from industry and agency positions to academia, I often cite Don Ingle as the quintessential example of a pro who did it right.
Despite having no prior teaching experience, Don naturally shifted careers 15 years ago and immediately began challenging and inspiring students lucky enough to enroll in his popular DePaul PR classes.
During his “pracademic”* career, Don taught some 2,500 students — and he incredibly remembers most of their names. At the end of the school year next week, Don will put on his Commencement regalia one more time and proudly cheer the Class of 2025 – his last official act before retiring and moving to Raleigh, North Carolina where he’ll throw himself into being a terrific grandfather. (Read Don’s farewell remarks to his DePaul colleagues in sidebar below).
DePaul PRAD program chair Kelly Chu admires Don’s “positive energy and good vibes” that he brings to campus daily. “I will miss seeing him in the hallway and making small conversations about his PR Campaign projects, students, class clients, and guest speakers. His dedication to PRAD and the DePaul community is unparalleled. We wish him all the best as he begins this new chapter.”
Professor Matt Ragas, another colleague who has been in the program since Don joined DePaul in 2010, noted, “Don’s dedication to his students is legendary. He can tell you not just how many DePaul PR/AD alums are at an agency, and many of the students’ names off the top of his head.
“He has worked tirelessly to connect our students with the profession and encourage them to aim high, Matt explained. “His enthusiasm is infectious. As Don has shared over the years, after transitioning from industry to academia, ‘he’s never worked harder and felt more fulfilled’ in a job.”
I have long admired Don’s diligence to master that talent. I walked into his office at the start of the school year shortly after his arrival; it looked like he was in the middle of a crafts project. He was printing out and pasting photos and LinkedIn profile info of each of his 30 students on 3X5 notecards. That evening, he stood at the classroom door and welcomed each student by his or her name.
Don also possesses a talent for recruiting top pros to visit his classes and create network contacts for students. One of the regular leaders sharing his always insightful guidance is PR legend Rich Jernstedt, former CEO of Golin.
“It’s exciting to watch a terrific teacher with outstanding career experiences and insights share his knowledge,” Rich said. “He’s a key factor in DePaul’s reputation for preparing its grads for the real world.] And he’s convinced many other professionals to appreciate the value of being in his classroom. It may be good for the students, but it’s great for the professional. Nothing like smart, motivated and inquisitive students to keep you inspired!”
One of those inspiring students – Stephanie Wade — marvels at how Don was able to predict and encourage her first career move – news reporter at Chicago’s ABC 7.
“He had a knack for recognizing students’ strengths, and he nurtured them as he could as our professor, Stephanie explained. “We always kept in touch over the years, since I graduated in 2016. Don would often check in to see how my career was going and give me just the right amount of encouragement and the push I needed to see my dreams through.”
At last Friday’s College of Communication end-of-school-year faculty meeting, Dean Lexa Murphy summed up the legacy Don created at DePaul: “We thank Don for his years of service, his high standards, and his deep commitment to student success and the joy he brought to the classroom and beyond. His legacy is woven into the fabric of our program and will continue to inspire future generations.”
From your colleagues, Chicago PR pros and students, congratulations Don on your well-deserved retirement. You, indeed, will be missed.
*Pracademic is an endearing term a colleague — Rajul Jain — bestowed on me when I moved to DePaul from the corporate and agency worlds. It stuck and is catching on with other professionals who make the career shift to academia. Other amazing full-time “pracademics” during Don’s DePaul career include Jim Motzer, Jill Stewart, Ken Krimstein, Dan Azzaro, Juliet Stantz, Marshall Goldman, Nina Abnee and Andy Clark (business school). More than half of the program’s adjuncts are also “pracademics.”
Don Ingle’s Farewell Remarks
“I want to begin talking about the so many of you, the advertising, PR and sports marketing professors who made my last 15 years so rewarding.
“When I started, I had no idea what being a college professor was about. But you provided me with constant advice and counsel, tips and tactics, both formal and informal training, and you did it with such a team-oriented attitude and joy. You were there for me in good times and bad, with the occasional needed hug or shoulder. My deep thanks and appreciation for everything you did for me.
“A little background. In early 2009, I hadn’t worked for a while due to the horrible recession, and so Professor Jill Stewart suggested I take a shot at teaching and introduced me to Bruno Taboul, who hired me as an adjunct in six minutes! I attended a few classes, realized that hearing aids were a necessity, and started preparing, with a big shout-out to retired Prof. Jim Motzer, whom I respected so much.
“And then, in Spring 2010, it started with my first writing class. I fell in love with teaching on day one and it kind of loved me back. My philosophy for teaching was the target audience, our wonderful DePaul students. My focus was based on teaching them the basics of the business, not so much the philosophical part, but the real-world preparation for our profession. I’ve taught over 2,500 students, and hundreds of them are working for the world’s largest corporations and all the agencies in Chicago and elsewhere.
“A few years ago, I started thinking about retirement and was kind of moody about it. Marshall Goldman and another prof and I were having a drink across the street. He stopped me in mid-sentence and said, ‘Don, who was your favorite high school teacher and why.’ I told him and he asked the same about college prof and I told him. Then, he added, ‘Don, this was more than 50 years ago, and you prattled it right off. Think about decades from now when one of your former students asked about their favorite college professor and it will be you! Isn’t that a nice legacy to have?’ And I suppose it is.
“I’ve often been asked about great advice for anything we do. A few years ago, I found an article written about Mark Twain near the end of his life. In responding to a question, he told the interviewer, ‘The two most important days of your life and the day you were born and the day you find out why.’ Professionally, day two has been being a professor at DePaul University. Most rewarding job I’ve EVER had. Thanks again for all your warm thoughts and cheer.
“Thanks again for all your warm thoughts and cheer.” -Don Ingle