College faculty retirees: Roniger, Ross, Simon, Thompson, Wiethaus

June 4, 2021

A guest post from the College

This is the fourth in a five-part series honoring College faculty who have retired in 2021 and 2020. Enjoy the linked profiles, written by faculty colleagues within their departments, honoring these incredible teacher-scholars and their lasting legacies.

• Luis Roniger, Reynolds Professor of Latin American Studies and Politics and International Affairs
• James “Jim” H. Ross, Associate Professor of the Practice of Health and Exercise Science
• Robin W. Simon, Professor of Sociology
• Clark Thompson, Associate Teaching Professor of Philosophy
• Ulrike Wiethaus, Professor of Religious Studies and American Ethnic Studies

Wake Forest University honors Luis Roniger, Ph.D., for 17 years of service to the University and its Department of Politics & International Affairs as a loyal colleague whose dedication to teaching, research and publishing exemplifies the teacher-scholar ideal; for his role as an internationally recognized scholar who has published two dozen books and nearly 200 articles in multiple languages; and for thereby inspiring generations of scholarship, chiefly, though not exclusively, on questions related to the health of and dangers to contemporary existing and emerging democracies in Latin America.

Wake Forest University honors James “Jim” H. Ross, M.S., for 20 years of service to the University and its Department of Health and Exercise Science as an effective leader in the Cardiac Rehabilitation/Healthy Exercise and Lifestyle Program; for his knowledge and experience in clinical exercise physiology and chronic disease prevention; for his passion for teaching and challenging students to learn important practical skills; and for his ability to lead by example and foster healthy lifestyle habits in those around him.

Wake Forest University honors Robin W. Simon, Ph.D., for 12 years of dedicated service to the University and its Department of Sociology; for her significant contributions as a faculty member and her leadership in the discipline of Sociology, serving as the Chair of the American Sociological Association’s sections on Emotion and Mental Health and receiving achievement awards in both subfields; and for working tirelessly and generously to mentor students and junior faculty, as well as to strengthen the Sociology Department’s curriculum in the social determinants of health and wellbeing.

Wake Forest University honors Clark Thompson, Ph.D., for 20 years of service to the University and its Department of Philosophy; for his versatility in teaching as manifested in the great variety of courses he offered, from first-year seminars to advanced courses; for steadfastly upholding the highest standards for student work; for his knowledge of Modern Philosophy, especially Locke and Hume, serving as our ready-access reference source; for setting the example for how to read a philosophical text closely; for making us laugh at ourselves and the world around us with his keen sense of humor and irony.

Wake Forest University honors Ulrike Weithaus, Ph.D., for 30 years of service to the University and its Department of Study of Religions as an interdisciplinary leader who taught classes ranging from Christian mysticism to the Trail of Tears with passion and creativity; for her leadership as the inaugural director of the Department’s distinctive Religion and Public Engagement program; for her service to the institution through the organization of international conferences; for her dedicated service to the community, which has been recognized by numerous awards; and for being a loyal colleague whose dedication to teaching and research exemplifies the teacher-scholar model.