Professor enjoyed work, life

A brilliant man with a dry sense of humor who had a unique outlook on life is how Troy Hunt said he will always remember his close friend Lee Scanlon.

“Even though he understood the seriousness of (his profession) and of what others did, he found humor as a means of helping people relax or simply just get a kick out of life,” said Hunt, chair of the communications department for the College of Eastern Utah.

Scanlon, who died Wednesday, May 28, in Grass Valley, Ca., retired from Eastern New Mexico University in 2002 from a lifelong career in communications.

Hunt, a student of Scanlon’s from 1992-94, said he grew to appreciate Scanlon for being more than just a wonderful professor; the lessons he learned in Scanlon’s classroom are the same rules he tries to live by daily.

“He taught me the power and importance of hard work and dedication,” Hunt said. “He also strongly believed in and taught people the importance of ethical standards and how to live by them that’s why I try very hard to live by the example he gave of pride in self and holding strong to those standards.”

Anthony Schroeder, chair of ENMU’s communications department, said he worked closely with Scanlon and also enjoyed his unique sense of humor.

Even though many students thought Scanlon was “impossible to please,” Schroeder said Scanlon’s good understanding of television direction, communication theory and years of professional experience working with Voice of America earned him respect.

As a professor, Hunt said Scanlon was very caring and compassionate towards students, and that his expectations for success were very high.

“Lee was brilliant in how he would extract research information and pass it on to students,” Hunt said. “He’s produced excellent writers whether it be journalists or other creative writers he has helped create excellent scholars and people who are not afraid to ask why and then find the answer.”