Four longtime employees retire

Four of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s longest-serving employees are retiring this summer, including the longest-serving member of the faculty, Dr. Michael Klausner.

Klausner retired in May after 50 years of teaching at Pitt-Bradford. Others who retired in May were Dr. Stephen Robar, 27 years; and Denise Perkins, 21 years. Gary Tessmer, who has taught for 37 years, will retire in July.

Klausner, an associate professor of sociology, is known for welcoming his colleagues and enjoying lively discussions.

He came to Pitt-Bradford in the summer of 1976, the same year as Dr. K. James Evans, retired vice president of student affairs.

“From the beginning of that first year, Michael made his presence known in a positive way with students, faculty and staff alike,” Evans said. “He took a keen interest in the welfare of his students, and early on, he became a dedicated supporter of the athletics program. To get the attention of the students in his class, he was known to sometimes stand on his desk and lecture from there!”

Dr. David Merwine, associate professor of biology, said Klausner also made a point to welcome him when he arrived at campus and would often send him news articles.

“It was always about what’s happening with students,” Merwine said. “He is so deeply concerned with the students and so intellectually curious.”

In 2005 he was inducted into the Pitt-Bradford Athletic Hall of Fame for his support of student athletes. The Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association presented him with its Teaching Excellence Award in 2023.

A native of the Bronx, he returned to New York City each summer, where he tutored homeless children. 

Denise Perkins worked for 21 years in student affairs, with most of that time spent as the administrative assistant in the Office of Resident Life and Housing, where she became an integral part of the office and beloved by student resident advisers, who called her “Momma D.”

In 2025, she received the Pitt-Bradford Staff Association’s Staff Recognition Award. She was nominated by Resident Director Garrett Martin, who noted her pride in Bradford and working for Pitt-Bradford, deep knowledge of the university and calm, reassuring presence for parents, students and fellow staff members in an office where tensions can run high.

Robar, associate professor of political science, wore several hats on campus during his tenure, becoming a respected administrator as well as a popular professor. In addition to teaching political science, he served as associate dean of academic affairs, chair of the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences, and president and vice president of faculty senate. He founded the environmental studies program at Pitt-Bradford, served as the pre-law advisor and directed the College in the High School program. In 2010, the PBAA awarded him its Teaching Excellence Award.

In retirement, he plans to travel, hike the Appalachian trail and spend quality time in nature and “engage in street-level, face-to-face community political organizing and community service.”

Tessmer, assistant professor of composition, is one of the longest-serving members of the faculty, having come to Pitt-Bradford in 1989 from the Pittsburgh campus on a one-term contract as a visiting instructor of English composition. That became a permanent position that he filled for 37 years.

For the first 16 years of his tenure, he coordinated the composition program, which relied largely on talented adjunct instructors. He also worked closely with Summer Intensive English Program students who visited annually from Pitt-Bradford’s sister college, Yokohama College of Commerce.

Tessmer said he will miss discussions with students and colleagues, which is why he plans to continue teaching part time while freeing up more time to spend reading, volunteering and hanging out with his grandchildren.

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