04
September
2015
|
08:44 AM
America/Chicago

Tran, Dinville Retire

Tran, Dinville Retire

By Dan Silvia, Communications Manager

Bellevue University said goodbye to almost 60 years of experience with the retirement of faculty members Dr. Phuoc Tran and Professor Pam Dinville. The pair was honored in a retirement celebration August 25 in the ESB Lower Level Waterfall Atrium.

Both Tran, a math professor, and Dinville, an accounting professor, were nominated by their colleges, approved by the administration, and approved by the board of directors to be Professors Emeritus.

“That is singularly uncommon at Bellevue University,” said University President Dr. Mary Hawkins.

Hawkins, who worked with the pair over her 20 years of experience at the school, spoke about each one.

RetireEdit“Both of them taught in fields that are quantitative and both taught with patience and rigor and managed to blend those effectively,” Hawkins said.

Dinville, who started at the University on August 1, 1985, expressed her appreciation for the University.

“I want to thank the University for hiring me 30 years ago and letting me do what I love to do,” Dinville said. “You can’t have a better job than that.”

Tran emigrated from Vietnam in 1975. With no money or possessions, and without speaking English, the Tran family started their life in Omaha. Dr. Tran, who had been a respected math professor at Saigon University in Vietnam, started a job at Calvary Cemetery digging graves. Dr. Tran dug graves by day and attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha at night.

He began his Bellevue University career on September 1, 1987. “It’s an amazing story,” Hawkins said. “Tran’s contributions to the University are renowned and we’re proud to have had him as a faculty member.”

Tran is looking forward to retirement. “I would like to thank Bellevue University for giving me the opportunity,” Tran said. “but now it is time for me to retire and enjoy the transition.”