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I retired as of June 1st, 2024
Xiannong Meng
I retired from Bucknell as of June 1st, 2024! My very last lecture of my entire teaching career of 33 years was a CSCI 306 lecture on the morning (8 am) of Monday, April 29th. I took a photo with my students at the end of that lecture as a souvenir. I am very grateful for the students I had in this last semester (spring 2024), which includes about 40 students in two classes, CSCI 240 and CSCI 306. Of course, I am very grateful for all the students I’ve worked with over the years. I don’t have the exact count, but my department did an amazing job counting the exact number of students I had since 2001 when I joined Bucknell for the second time as a tenure track faculty member. The number came out as 1,155, including those of the spring 2024 semester. I also taught as a visiting assistant professor at Bucknell 1991-1994, so I have a group of graduates from that time period as well. It has been truly an amazing experience to work with students, faculty colleagues, and staff members of Bucknell over all these years. I enjoyed every bit of time at Bucknell.
It has been 40 years since I took the very first flight of my lifetime across the ocean and came to this magical land that was not well understood by the Chinese at the time! It felt like yesterday! During this period, I experienced countless joys of success, frustrations of failures, and all kinds of challenges, including the pain of losing loved ones. With the guidance, support, help, and companionship of my advisors, professors, classmates, colleagues, friends, and family, I feel that my life over the past 40 years has been fulfilling and I have done many meaningful things. From a young student who couldn't speak English fluently to a retired university professor, the changes have been incredible and the experiences rewarding. Everything I have achieved is inseparable from the guidance, care, and help from my graduate study advisors, course professors, colleagues, and mentors at all stages, as well as the support from my family and friends. I think I will miss the labs, the classrooms, my colleagues, and my students. But I think the second half of the journey in life will be equally meaningful and exciting. I am very grateful to everyone I have met in my life!