Originally ran 4/6/07

What will Eastern be like without Lou?

In the beginning of “Superman Returns,” Lois Clark finds a Pulitzer Prize winning article about the world without Superman and why the world doesn’t need him. Later Lois writes a story about why the world needs superman.

I am wondering if Eastern will still be as kind and friendly without President Lou Hencken. Attitude starts with the leader. When Lou isn’t here to lead, will Eastern still be as great?

Hencken has been a great part of the institution for 40 years and he has used all of his 40 years of experience to help students. He is a great part of Eastern, and I am afraid to know Eastern without his leadership.

I have personally had so many great experiences where Lou has been kind, friendly and offered advise. When Hencken was a student, he was a resident assistant. When hundreds of students and I went through the RA hiring process, he reminded us how we would be.

“People never remember their professors but they never forget their first RA,” he said.

When Hencken was director of Housing and Dining Services, he started the Rookie Runners program, which has evolved into Panther Pals, where hundreds of students help thousands of their peers move in.

Lou is the most powerful person on campus and he himself still personally lends a hand in the move in process.

He is also very humble.

My first year as a Panther Pal, I remember him introducing himself to a family as “I’m Lou, I work here.” He was driving students and their families around in golf carts that day, trying to get them acquainted with campus while helping them carry their heavy loads of textbooks.

Henchen also lends a hand to the orientation office on busy open-house days by personally guiding campus tours.

Hencken was very accepting of students who worked for student publications. He was always available and very open with students as well as patient while they learned their craft. In his 40 years here, he only wrote two letters to the editor, which were both very positive.

Hencken has mentioned one of his favorite days is graduation because of the excitement he feels for the students. He personally shakes each one’s hand to wish them luck – even though he jokes that his hand gets tired after thousands of handshakes.

These are very few stories of Lou’s kindness, but almost every person you meet on-campus currently has a great Lou story and is happy to tell you how he has touched them.

He is so informal he is known campus wide not as the president but as Lou.

Who hasn’t seen the “What can you do for Lou” posters?

In 2005, the Board of Trustees gave Hencken a raise and he gave the increase back to the university in the form of a scholarship in his name.

President Hencken has set the tone for the university, and it has been a very positive.

I hope the next president has as kind of a heart as he does.

But no matter what comes for Eastern, Lou will be missed.

These are huge shoes to fill.