President Delos P. Culp

Dr. Culp was the President of East Tennessee State University when I went to interview for the Assistant Professor position in the Chemistry Department, in the spring of 1971. Generally, a president does not even know that the University needs an assistant professor in any department. But D. P. Culp was different. I was told that he would sometimes play a part in new faculty recruitment when he had the time. I was summoned to his office for a few minutes during my interview.  Certainly I was impressed. However, as I look back now, I think that the reason he wanted to meet me was to make sure that he could understand my spoken English. I later learned that some departments had hired faculty members whose English was not very understandable. He just wanted to make sure that this criterion was carried out properly. I truly appreciate his effort.