In Honor of Dr. Edd Whetmore (1945-2016)
Excerpted from Prof. Chris Russo’s Memorial Speech at the 2017 COM Awards Banquet
It’s important to take a moment to remember those whose hard work and dedication set the stage for our success today. In our case, as a community dedicated to students, it’s important to honor those who have committed themselves to helping students catalyze their talents, curiosity, and critical thinking. To honor those on whose shoulders we stood…and stand…to have the privileged vantage point of today.
This past December, the Communications Department had to say goodbye to one of those sets of shoulders that we all, in some way, stand on today. With the passing of Dr. Edd Whetmore, we lost one of the founding members of this vital, growing, and thriving COM Department.
To give you a brief background on Edd, with her permission, I share with you the words of Dr. Nancy Cheever, Communications Department Chair from her announcement of Edd’s passing:
“Edd began his career at CSUDH in 1993 as an Associate Professor of Communications, earning tenure and promotion to Professor in 1996. He taught journalism, screenwriting and other media-related courses, and was the advisor to the student newspaper for more than a decade. During that time, student journalists competed at the California Intercollegiate Press Association (CIPA), where several CSUDH students took home awards. Edd served as department chair from 2000-2004, and again from 2009-2011. He also created the COM Department’s research sequence, in which students practiced quantitative research methods on communications-related projects. Edd served as Academic Senate Chair from 2002-2004 and as a senator for many years. He was Acting Dean of Undergraduate Studies from 2004-2006.
Before coming to CSUDH, Edd had a long teaching career and worked as a radio deejay and a soap opera script writer. Those who knew Edd best describe him as warm, generous and kind, to both colleagues and students alike. He was always the first to open his home during the holidays, and every year bought tickets to our annual banquet for students who couldn’t afford to purchase their own. We will miss his compelling anecdotes and his wisdom, humor, and love and knowledge of popular culture.” - Nancy Cheever
In 2011, Lady Gaga released her second full-length album titled, “Born This Way.” As we know, she creatively presented a lot of concepts in that music, but some important themes were the ideas of being yourself, of tolerance, and of self-confidence, whether you fit into narrowly defined cultural norms or not. With her creative work, Lady Gaga jammed a crow bar into, and started to pry open some of the overly rigid, constrictive dictates that permeated (and continue to permeate) our culture.
Lady Gaga was born in 1986. Edd Whetmore was born in 1945. Imagine that difference…growing up in the 50s versus growing up in the 90s. One would think that 40-year difference would make them very dissimilar, especially today, when cultural norms and mores are primed for fast change. I mean, come on, Edd was a Baby Boomer. But Edd didn’t completely follow in the footsteps of many of the men of his generation. Where he could, he fought his way out of the hypnotic cultural mindset of his generation that, in truth, if we look at ourselves, we’re all susceptible to in our own times. He paved his own road and did things his own way. This rubbed some the wrong way at times, and some pointed fingers and said that he should behave more “befitting” or “distinguished.” Or, when the U.S. Government told Edd he should fight in what turned out to be an unjust war, and Edd refused…also changing his first name at the time from Edward to Edd, because he didn’t want the word “WAR” in his last name. Lady Gaga’s sentiment years before it finally, and justifiably started to gain a foothold. Edd never apologized for who he was. He loved music, media, education. He loved pop culture, wine, art, and sports. Period. He lived SO true to himself that all was open for the world to see. And the world could like it or not. I, for one, appreciated the lessons that Edd embodied, and I was privileged to get to know the depth of heart and breadth of soul that he carried within. He taught me a great deal along the way and I’m grateful.
At the end of the day, Edd was driven by his love for students and for communications. He believed in seeking out and awakening potential in others that might not be obvious at first glance. He believed in social equality. He believed in peace. He worked toward what he thought was right. Love him or not love him, he was born that way in 1945, and as each of us try to do, he took the grapes that the culture and influences of his time gave him, and made his own unique vintage of wine that was his life. I was honored to be able to share some sips with him.
Edd is missed, but never forgotten. Please take a brief moment to raise your glass and say goodbye and honor Dr. Edd Whetmore. Thanks Edd, for being born that way.
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