Spring Break
Faculty, alumni remember deceased faculty member
Heather Jackson, Staff Writer
Issue date: 6/9/09 Section: NEWS
he UNT community is mourning the loss of John Gossett of the communications studies faculty, who died on June 7 at Integrity Hospital in Denton. Gossett was 58 years old.
The department of communication's Web site has become a virtual memorial for Gossett featuring a biography of Gossett as well as a forum where colleagues and students can share memories, thoughts and condolences.
"He was a dedicated teacher, a force in the classroom He got students excited and interested. He was a great colleague and mentor. He was very encouraging and enabling," said Bryan Lane, a UNT communication studies faculty member who has known Gossett for more than 20 years. "I've been speaking with a lot of alums and the one overwhelming message is how much we miss him…The thing that makes this so difficult is that he affected so many people's lives."
Gossett joined the UNT faculty in 1981 and served as the director of debate for 10 years. During that time, Lane said, he excited the debate program and was an influential force behind its success.
Gossett served as the department chair from 1988 to 2006 and currently served as an undergraduate advisor. He was also a member of the Honors College faculty.
When UNT alumna Sherry Hall first met Gossett at UNT in 1981 as a freshman, she "was awe struck.".
"He was larger than life. He was both a physically large presence and a booming voice. Everything he did was big," Hall said.
Hall, who graduated from UNT in 1985, is now a debate coach at Harvard University and said she does not think it is a coincidence that she and the other two students in debate that year all became debate coaches.
"The word everyone seems to use to describe him is passionate," Hall said. "Whatever it was that he put his time and effort into, he did it with a great deal of passion."
Memorial services for Gossett will be held at 6:30 p.m. on June 15 at Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church, located at 300 W. Oak in Denton.
Instead of flowers, Gossett's family has requested donations for the John S. Gossett Memorial Debate Scholarship.
The department of communication's Web site has become a virtual memorial for Gossett featuring a biography of Gossett as well as a forum where colleagues and students can share memories, thoughts and condolences.
"He was a dedicated teacher, a force in the classroom He got students excited and interested. He was a great colleague and mentor. He was very encouraging and enabling," said Bryan Lane, a UNT communication studies faculty member who has known Gossett for more than 20 years. "I've been speaking with a lot of alums and the one overwhelming message is how much we miss him…The thing that makes this so difficult is that he affected so many people's lives."
Gossett joined the UNT faculty in 1981 and served as the director of debate for 10 years. During that time, Lane said, he excited the debate program and was an influential force behind its success.
Gossett served as the department chair from 1988 to 2006 and currently served as an undergraduate advisor. He was also a member of the Honors College faculty.
When UNT alumna Sherry Hall first met Gossett at UNT in 1981 as a freshman, she "was awe struck.".
"He was larger than life. He was both a physically large presence and a booming voice. Everything he did was big," Hall said.
Hall, who graduated from UNT in 1985, is now a debate coach at Harvard University and said she does not think it is a coincidence that she and the other two students in debate that year all became debate coaches.
"The word everyone seems to use to describe him is passionate," Hall said. "Whatever it was that he put his time and effort into, he did it with a great deal of passion."
Memorial services for Gossett will be held at 6:30 p.m. on June 15 at Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church, located at 300 W. Oak in Denton.
Instead of flowers, Gossett's family has requested donations for the John S. Gossett Memorial Debate Scholarship.
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