FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOND MEMORIES ABOUND AS CLAYTON LOOKS TOWARD RETIREMENT 

George W. "Buddy" Clayton

DANVILLE, VA, April 12, 2007 - Thirty-eight years of teaching at Danville Community College has been an exciting journey for George W. “Buddy” Clayton, Professor of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration.  With a connection that spans forty-three years from when the campus was known as Danville Technical Institute (DTI, Clayton says he will miss DCC when he retires at the end this academic year.

Clayton began his involvement with the college by enrolling as a student in the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration program at DTI in 1964, where he studied under Instructors John Kirby and James Gibson.  While a student, Clayton became involved in both official and unofficial extracurricular activities.  Aside from being President of the Honor Council, he also played on the DTI basketball team, coached by Dr. Grady Tuck (formerly DCC Coordinator of Admissions and Records).  He also played chess and card games with other students at the old dormitories.

Although these and other memories affected his decision to eventually work at DCC, Clayton had the opportunity to gain experience in the air conditioning field beforehand.  Upon his graduation from DTI in 1966, Clayton worked for Bahnson Company in Winston-Salem, NC, which designed and manufactured air conditioning systems for the worldwide textile industry. Clayton then worked for Amin and Owen Consultant Firm in Raleigh, NC, a engineering consulting firm that designed heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for government buildings.

“I started teaching at DCC in 1969,” Clayton explains.  “My instructor from DTI encouraged me to put in an application.  I wasn’t sure if I was capable of handling the job, but I gave it a try, and it has lasted for 38 years.”

“As I look back over the years, I must have been in the right place at the right time because I have enjoyed every minute of my job at DCC,” Clayton continues.  “I can not remember a time I was dissatisfied about teaching.  When I teach a group of students, I have contact with them for six hours a day and for about two years.  I get to know my students.”

The DCC Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program provides students with both the practical experience and technical knowledge required for competence as a technician in the air conditioning industry.  To receive the Diploma in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, students must complete a minimum of 96 credits with a grade point average of 2.00 or better.  Possible employment opportunities include titles such as Air Conditioning/Heating Technician, Installation and Service, Sales Engineer, and Sales and Design Engineer.

“I see direct results of my teaching from students who have become successful by starting their own businesses or moving up in rank at large air conditioning firms,” Clayton continues, opening a photo album.  “I have a collection of photos with every graduation class I taught and can tell you where the majority of these students are in the workforce.

“One of the ways I measure whether I’ve done a good job teaching is that I have the children of parents I’ve taught enrolling in the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program,” Clayton adds.  “These parents feel confident enough to send their children to receive training in the HVAC field. I’m able to see first hand the fruits of my labor at DCC.”

Over the years, Clayton has been recognized by the Air Conditioning Contractors Association and he was honored by his peers as DCC’s Outstanding Faculty Member for 2000. He was also recently recognized for 35 years of service to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

In addition to earning a diploma in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology, Clayton received his Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Vocational Education from Elon College; and his Master of Science Degree in Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. After decades of teaching at DCC, Clayton says that his retirement is only one step in his life.

“I hadn’t planned on retiring until a year and a half ago. One reason I decided this is because most of my friends with whom I play golf have already retired,” Clayton says.  “This is not because I don’t enjoy my job, because I still look forward to coming to work everyday.  It’s just that life goes on.  With all of the time I have put into my job, I’d like to take my retirement years and enjoy them with my family.”

Besides spending time with his granddaughter, Clayton says that he would like to travel across the country and visit Japan and England again, as well as continue to play golf.  He will miss the intramural sports that DCC offered to faculty in the past, but he says that overall, the changes the College has made in forty years have been positive growth.  Although courses, technology, and equipment in the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program have also changed over time, Clayton believes these changes have been for the better.

“I am sad that I am leaving and will not have as much contact with my students and coworkers,” says Clayton.  “The students help keep you grounded and on your toes. I have every confidence in the continued success of DCC, its faculty and its students.”

Clayton concludes:  “I leave with many wonderful memories and I am glad to know that my time here has been so valuable.  I look forward to the future and all of its opportunities.”