Thirteen years of service to the Management Fellows program. Countless connections for DePauw internships made worldwide. Now, Gary Lemon says he is being forced to resign from his position.
"I was fired," Lemon said. "There is no reason, it just said I would not be reappointed. Larry Stimpert, my boss, said 'We don't want you anymore.' So what can you do?"
Stimpert disagreed.
"I think it would be sad to characterize it as being let go," Stimpert said. "I think he and I came to a mutual agreement that it would be good to have some new leadership."
According to an email sent out to faculty by Vice President of Academic Affairs Larry Stimpert, Lemon has been the Director of the McDermond Center and the Management Fellows program since 2000. Lemon has also been a member of The DePauw's publishing board, has led a scuba diving Winter Term trip for years and has been a professor in the Economics Department.
"It's bittersweet [to be leaving] because I poured my soul into this program for 13 years," Lemon said. "[And] to then be told it isn't enough is bittersweet."
After taking a year's sabbatical, Lemon will resume teaching full time in the Economics and Management Department.
"I think that he has been a really great program director," said senior Management Fellow Erika Krukowski. "I've gained limitless opportunities through him being here and I just think it's a shame [that he's leaving]."
Lemon has brought several high-ranking business leaders to speak to Management Fellows such as Jeffrey Harmening '89, President of Big G cereals and General Mills, as well as Angie Hicks '95, founder and chief marketing officer of Angie's List.
Although Lemon brought several connections to DePauw, some Management Fellows students feel the program needed some changes.
"I guess I could see where some criticisms of the program could be made," said first-year student Everett Schau.
Lemon said he doesn't know who will be the next director of the Management Fellows program, nor does he know the reasons for his forced resignation.
"I'm not sure how [Lemon's leaving] is going to affect the program, which is the scariest part," said Krukowski. "I'm not quite sure what that means for the future of the program."
Lemon found out about his forced resignation in December, but negotiated a year sabbatical for his staying until June.
"I'm only grateful to have been in the Management Fellows as it was under Gary [Lemon]," said senior Bart Freibert.
Many of the students in the Management Fellows program are upset and confused, the McDermond Center and Management Fellows program being the main reasons they chose to attend DePauw.
Krukowski just wanted to ask Stimpert, "Why?"