Yoder to say goodbye after three decades
- Yoder taught as a psychology professor for 27 years.
- After retirement, Yoder said she plans to spend more time with her husband Thomas, two stepdaughters and her four grandchildren.
By Jimmie Hendrix, News Writing Student
Cecelia Yoder, Social Sciences acting dean, will retire July 9 after 31 years at OCCC.
Yoder began her career as an adjunct professor for her first year, then was full-time from that point on.
She taught as a psychology professor for 27 years, was department chair for psychology and sociology for seven years, and was coordinator for the Women’s Career Development Program from 1986 to 1999.
History professor Ron Gray spent many of those years alongside her.
“I have known and worked with her around 30 years,” Gray said. “Our cubicles were so close we could hear most of each other’s conversations in the early years.
“Seems like we went off to war together, been in the trenches together. She is a great professional, very proper, great sense of humor, and she is a great friend,” he said.
Yoder will be missed by students who had her as well.
“Last semester she helped me with a project in my video productions class,” said Laura Pittman, journalism major.
“It was about her creating jewelry out of her home, and she was very helpful and sweet.”
After retirement, Yoder said she plans to spend more time with her husband Thomas, two stepdaughters and her four grandchildren.
Yoder said she also plans to continue her long-time hobby of designing and making jewelry, gardening, and training her dog Remy to be a therapy dog.
She said she also hopes to be able to travel some.
When asked what she will miss the most about OCCC, Yoder said, “I will miss the people I have worked with, those I have worked with in the past and the ones I have worked with in recent years.”
