2008 Woodie Awards
Dr. Jeffrey Ashworth presents his 'last lecture'
Joshua Johnson
Issue date: 10/27/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Dr. Jeffrey Ashworth of the Aerospace Engineering Department of the College of Engineering delivered his "last lecture" on Friday, Oct. 20 in the DLC auditorium.
The "Last Lecture Series" is a common occurrence during the OctoberWest festivities at the Prescott campus. Although the lecture is not actually the speaking professor's last, the idea behind the lecture is for the professor to speak to the audience as if it was. The topic of the lecture is left to the professor's choice.
The lecture was sponsored by Mortar Board, a national senior honorary society which recognizes students for distinguished ability and achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service.
According to Brandon Alford, president of Mortar Board, Ashworth was selected to deliver the lecture because, "He is one of the most liked professors on campus. People enjoy hearing what he has to say."
Ashworth, known for his unique teaching style and humor in the classroom, has been a professor here at ERAU for 12 years. Ashworth showed up in his trademark cowboy hat, boots, and vest, joking that he left his horse in the parking lot. As an introduction, he played a scene from the movie "Streets of Laredo."
Ashworth's topic choice for his last lecture was one focusing on responsibility and his philosophy for life. He emphasized, "There is only one person with you for the rest of your life: you."
Ashworth shared a story with the audience from his life when he was five years old. He remembered a time when his mother was shelling black walnuts because she was going to make brownies with them. When she was not looking, young Ashworth quickly ate half of the black walnuts his mother had shelled. When she returned and asked what happened to the walnuts, she found his mouth too full to respond; Ashworth merely shook his head to say "no." According to Ashworth, from that point on in his life, he decided that he would always take responsibility for his own actions.
Part of taking responsibility, according to Ashworth, includes taking charge of one's own life. Ashworth stated, "Someone is not guaranteed the right to happiness. No one owes you anything…you have the right to pursue happiness. Life is what you make it, no one else makes it for you."
Ashworth also told the audience that change is an ever-present part of life, and that everyone should be prepared for it and accept it: "Two things in life are certain…death, and change." In the professional field, Ashworth suggested that sometimes change is a requirement for success, saying, "Make suggestions to make changes for the better."
When he was younger, Ashworth admitted he always thought "an aerospace engineer was a furry little creature about this big with pens and pencils sticking out of its head, dragging a slide rule around."
At the end of his lecture, Ashworth shared a little-known fact with the audience: he has always wanted to teach poetry. As a closing, he read several poems that all tied in to the stories he shared earlier in his presentation.
The "Last Lecture Series" is a common occurrence during the OctoberWest festivities at the Prescott campus. Although the lecture is not actually the speaking professor's last, the idea behind the lecture is for the professor to speak to the audience as if it was. The topic of the lecture is left to the professor's choice.
The lecture was sponsored by Mortar Board, a national senior honorary society which recognizes students for distinguished ability and achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service.
According to Brandon Alford, president of Mortar Board, Ashworth was selected to deliver the lecture because, "He is one of the most liked professors on campus. People enjoy hearing what he has to say."
Ashworth, known for his unique teaching style and humor in the classroom, has been a professor here at ERAU for 12 years. Ashworth showed up in his trademark cowboy hat, boots, and vest, joking that he left his horse in the parking lot. As an introduction, he played a scene from the movie "Streets of Laredo."
Ashworth's topic choice for his last lecture was one focusing on responsibility and his philosophy for life. He emphasized, "There is only one person with you for the rest of your life: you."
Ashworth shared a story with the audience from his life when he was five years old. He remembered a time when his mother was shelling black walnuts because she was going to make brownies with them. When she was not looking, young Ashworth quickly ate half of the black walnuts his mother had shelled. When she returned and asked what happened to the walnuts, she found his mouth too full to respond; Ashworth merely shook his head to say "no." According to Ashworth, from that point on in his life, he decided that he would always take responsibility for his own actions.
Part of taking responsibility, according to Ashworth, includes taking charge of one's own life. Ashworth stated, "Someone is not guaranteed the right to happiness. No one owes you anything…you have the right to pursue happiness. Life is what you make it, no one else makes it for you."
Ashworth also told the audience that change is an ever-present part of life, and that everyone should be prepared for it and accept it: "Two things in life are certain…death, and change." In the professional field, Ashworth suggested that sometimes change is a requirement for success, saying, "Make suggestions to make changes for the better."
When he was younger, Ashworth admitted he always thought "an aerospace engineer was a furry little creature about this big with pens and pencils sticking out of its head, dragging a slide rule around."
At the end of his lecture, Ashworth shared a little-known fact with the audience: he has always wanted to teach poetry. As a closing, he read several poems that all tied in to the stories he shared earlier in his presentation.
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