Promoting his professor

In 1976, IU trustee Patrick Shoulders was a second year IU-Purdue University Indianapolis Law School student who preferred playing euchre with his fellow students in the lounge over attending his commercial law course. On occasion, when he was dealing cards instead of taking notes, he would look up and see his professor staring back at him. \nLittle did he know that years later he would work side by side with that professor when he voted in Gerald Bepko as IU's interim president.\nBefore he was chancellor of IUPUI and later IU's top leader, Bepko was a law professor at IUPUI who, despite large class sizes, made an effort to reach students individually, a job Bepko looks forward to returning to following his retirement this year.\n"I used to get pictures of all my students and put them with the roster so I would recognize their faces," Bepko said. "I tried to get to know as many students as possible. I'm glad I got to know Pat Shoulders."\nUpon taking a teaching position at IUPUI in 1973, Bepko was immediately popular on campus, Shoulders said.\nDuring his first year of law school Shoulders attended Bepko's contracts law class, a two semester course.\n"It was a class that terrifies first year law students," Shoulders said. "It was a tough class, but his style just immediately stuck with me. He had a great sense of humor. He was very patient. He would never just call on students to embarrass them like some professors did."\nShoulders said at the end of his first year at law school, Bepko composed a poem that talked about humorous comments students made throughout the year in class.\nYears later, Shoulders would set up his own law practice, Ziemer, Stayman, Weitzel & Shoulders, work as the IU Alumni Association National Chairman, serve on the IU Foundation Board of Directors and be named the president of the Evansville Bar Association. \nEventually, in 2002, Shoulders was named by Gov. Frank O'Bannon as a member of the IU board of trustees.\nBepko said he is pleased one of his former students now serves as his boss.\n"I am extremely proud of him," Bepko said. "I love to see my students become successful individuals, and he certainly has done that."\nAs a trustee, Shoulders was given the honor of voting for Bepko as interim president. Bepko took office on Jan. 1.\n"It was great to be able to vote for him," Shoulders said. "He was obviously the most qualified candidate. Chancellor is the second highest position, and he was retiring anyway, so it worked out perfectly."\nNow that they work side by side, Bepko and Shoulders have gotten to know each other much better.\n"We joke an awful lot," Bepko said. "He reminds me all of the time that he earned an 'A' in my class."\nShoulders said Bepko's teaching style has carried over to the administrative side well. He said that Bepko's ability to describe facts in a understandable way is a positive trait for a president.\nOther IU officials agree.\n"He is an amazing teacher," trustee Sue Talbot said. "His academic side truly benefits IU during his stay as interim president."\nSoon enough, when a new president takes over, Bepko will be able to return to teaching and someday influence more students that might lead IU in the future.\n"I really enjoy teaching," Bepko said. "I love watching students grow into fine people, and I look forward to returning to teaching. It's a rewarding experience"