Professor Larry West shared his passion for German with students for four decades

A dare 50 years ago sent Larry West on the path to a lifetime of teaching German at Wake Forest. Boys being boys, they’ll dare each other on a whim to do wild and crazy stuff. Which explains why Larry West has enjoyed a long and venerable career as a college German professor. That career, spent almost entirely at Wake Forest, drew to a close this spring with his retirement from the Department of German and Russian. Behind him, the 68-year-old West leaves a redoubtable legacy as a teacher, scholar and study-abroad administrator, along with a cadre of devoted colleagues and former students who have been inspired by his dedication and regaled by his wit.

Professor waits to hear from Chile

Professor Peter Siavelis, who used to live in Chile, is waiting to hear if former colleagues there are safe after a massive earthquake hit the country on Saturday. The University is not aware of any faculty or students who were in the country at the time of the earthquake.

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