Dr. Chris Willerton, professor of English, is retiring this year after more than 40 years at ACU. Willerton taught creative writing, British literature, and freshman composition. He helped create the Honors College and was its first dean.

Family, friends, former students, and colleagues attended the retirement celebration on April 25.

Willerton’s contributions to ACU, particularly to the Honors College and the English department, were detailed by Dr. Dave Merrell, Dr. Bill Walton, and Dr. Nancy Jordan. Meagan May, a former student both in English and the Honors College, talked about Dr. Willerton as a professor.

The Department of Language and Literature presented Dr. Willerton with a pristine first edition of his favorite book by Dorothy L. Sayer, The Poetry of Search and the Poetry of Statement.