Following 38 years of service at Missouri Southern, Dr. Larry Martin, vice president for academic affairs, decided to retire.

“It’s been very fulfilling,” he said. “Clearly, I’ve enjoyed being here or I wouldn’t have stayed that long. It’s a good place to be, it’s a good place to live, it’s a good place to work.”

College President Julio León, said his working relationship with Martin has been great.

“Ever since I first came to this campus and became active in different committees and different task forces, it was always Larry Martin who would be present there,” he said. “He was very involved and trusted by his department and the faculty across campus.”

Martin began his career at the College as an instructor in the math department. He worked his way up as the department head and then dean of the school of arts and sciences. He was selected as vice president for academic affairs in June 2000. León was involved in choosing Martin for the position.

“That’s just an expression of the confidence that I have in him and that the faculty of this whole campus has on his abilities,” he said.

Zack Odem, Student Senate president, has become familiar with Martin as the student representative to the Board of Regents and through Student Senate. He said Martin truly cares about students.

“He is an individual, from an administrator’s viewpoint, whose door is always open to students,” Odem said. “They can always go to Dr. Martin.”

Dr. Betsy Griffin, assistant vice president for academic affairs, will replace Martin as interim next year.

Martin and Griffin have worked closely together, and he thinks she will “do fine.”

“I believe we think kind of alike,” Martin said. “We have similar problem-solving thought processes.”

Martin said his best memories at Southern have come from working directly with students.

“That’s a very satisfying part of my career,” he said.

Laura Adkins, mathematics instructor, had Martin as a professor in 1973, and he hired her at the College in December 1979. She said he brought out the best in every student.

“He was an awesome teacher,” she said. “I learned a lot about teaching math from him.

Martin has also enjoyed working and learning from his peers and colleagues. As a department head, he welcomed the opportunity to shape other instructors.

But after nearly four decades at the College, Martin is ready for a rest.

“There’s no hidden agenda here,” he said. “It’s just 38 years is a long time. I want to be sure I retire and don’t regret that I didn’t do it sooner. I want opportunities while health still provides it for my wife and I.”

León said Martin will be missed.

“More than anything, we’ll miss his sense of professionalism,” he said. “We are going to miss this trust and confidence he inspired.”

Odem said Martin will be missed mostly because of his knowledge and personal vision for the College.

After retiring, Martin said he would like to do some traveling. But most of all, he is looking forward to having more flexible time.

“It means I can do things on my time schedule rather than someone else’s,” he said.

Outside of work, Martin has many hobbies. Corvettes are his main interest.

“I like to look at classic cars,” he said. “I own one and would like to enjoy it a little more.”

Martin is the owner of a 1960 Corvette.

He began saving money for it in 1961, but after contracting mononucleosis, all his money had to go toward hospital bills.

He also bought an engagement ring for his wife.

In 1985, he began thinking again about purchasing a Corvette. So, in 1987 he and his wife bought one.

“She was OK with it,” Martin said. “She came first.”

Martin does not show his car, because he prefers to drive it. He does, however, like to attend Corvette shows. He attended the Bloomington Gold show in Bloomington, Ill., for several years before buying his car.

Martin, as well as his two daughters, is an avid St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan.

He began listening to Cardinals’ games at age 5, and now attends games about twice a year.

“You talk to him about the Cardinals, and you’ll get stories from him from day one,” León said.

Martin also enjoys reading and attending church at Central City Christian Church west of Galena, Kan. He teaches an adult Bible class there.

He said the most important aspect of his life, however, is his family. One person he genuinely loves spending time with is his 4-year-old grandson.

“I enjoy watching him learn,” he said. “I enjoy teaching him.”

Martin said he will miss Southern, but there is a possibility he could one day return to teach math again.

“I want to see what develops for me,” he said. “The thing about teaching would be, I would be committed again to time.”

León said Martin has been a huge asset to the College and its progress.

“Very few people realize that a lot of difficult work has been done at the academic level,” he said. “That work is what determines the progress at an institution, and Dr. Martin has been a very vital part of that.”

Adkins said the College will miss Martin’s wisdom, enthusiasm, integrity and sense of fairness.

“He’s an all-around terrific person,” she said. “I hate to see him retiring. He has been such a mentor to so many people. I really admire him.”