In Memory of Myles Aric Hassell — Myles Hassell, a Lecturer in the Department of English, died unexpectedly from a pulmonary edema on March 2, 2015. A few days before his death, Myles and I had a long conversation during which he informed me that he had prevailed in his battle against cancer. He thanked me and the members of the department for supporting him during this struggle. He talked about how much better he felt, and he wanted to touch base with me about some new ideas he had related to his teaching.
For most of his life, Myles lived in New Orleans. After graduating from East Jefferson High in Metairie, LA, Myles followed his love of music as a writer, lead vocalist, and guitar player in a band called The Local Traffic, performing shows in the greater New Orleans area. He received both his B.A. and M.A. in English from the University of New Orleans, where he also earned his M.B.A. He taught as an instructor at UNO in traditional, blended, and online learning environments for many years. His workplace experience included caseload management for the Louisiana Division of Family Services; employment counseling for Snelling Personnel Services; and retail, national account, and government sales of office machines and systems, representing manufacturers such as Pitney Bowes, Canon, and Sharp. As an entrepreneur for over 15 years, he composed extensive support materials for business textbooks and study guides.
Myles and his wife of 24 years, Joan Hassell, moved to the Charlotte area after Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home in New Orleans. After teaching at UNC Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler MBA program, he started teaching in UNC Charlotte’s Department of English as an adjunct faculty member in 2012; in 2014 he became a full-time Lecturer in the area of technical and professional communication.
In 2015 Myles was diagnosed with cancer, but he continued to teach throughout his treatment process. Even though I encouraged him to take a medical leave, he wanted to keep teaching. We talked on numerous occasions about his treatment process, and I could tell that he was absolutely determined to win his battle against cancer. He succeeded. His passing should not take away from his hard-fought victory.
During what proved to be our final conversation, I was struck by Myles’s courage, optimism, consideration, collegiality, and dedication to his students. He will be missed.
To honor Myles’ memory in a positive way and to support a cause dear to him, a charitable project in his name is currently being planned with the Coalition to Unchain Dogs. The mission of the coalition is to improve the welfare of dogs living continuously chained outdoors by providing free fences, shelter, spay/neuter, and vaccinations. Details will be announced when available. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial contributions to the Coalition for Unchained Dogs at http://www.unchaindogs.net/.
Kudos— As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of our department. Here is the latest news:
Sam Shapiro‘s article on the American remake of the German classic “M” was recently published by Charlotte Viewpoint. Here’s the link:http://www.charlotteviewpoint.org/article/3551/The-American-M
Upcoming Events and Deadlines— Here is a date to keep in mind:
March 22 — This year’s English Major Day will take place on March 22 (Tuesday) in Fretwell 290B. This annual event will feature three workshops. The first workshop is titled “The English Major as Preparation for a 21st-Century Career,” and it will run from 11:00 to 12:15. The second workshop is titled “Publishing a Book,” and it will run from 12:30 to 1:45. The third workshop is on “Preparing for Graduate School,” and it will run from 2:00 to 3:15. Please encourage your students to participate in this event.
Quirky Quiz Question — Myles Hassell taught courses in technical and professional communication in the Department of English, but he had a wide range of interests. He and Joan collected antiques, and he had a passion for the history of New Orleans. He also enjoyed literature. He wrote his English M.A. thesis on a famous nineteenth-century American poet who wrote the following poem:
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain:
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
Who wrote this poem?
Last week’s answer: What Pet Should I Get?