Thakur celebrates 20 years at ULV
Campus Times
October 16, 1998
Professor of Business and Economics Rita Thakur celebrates her 20th
year at the University of La Verne. After moving to La Verne from Pasadena,
Thakur applied to all of the nearby universities ULV was the first to call
her back. Since then, Thakur has moved her offices five times in Founders
Hall, until finally settling into a room in the School of Business and Global
Studies, located in the Landis Academic Center.
It is difficult these days for anyone to remain with a company for an
extended period of time. Corporate mergers and closures often result in
massive layoffs or downsizing. If a person survives all of this, then the
lure of a better salary or more prestige could mean a job change and/or
relocation.
It is refreshing, then, to recognize the accomplishments of Rita Thakur,
professor of business and economics at the University of La Verne. Thakur
is celebrating her 20th anniversary at the University and was feted recently
at the faculty staff recognition program.
"There really wasn't a position open when I applied," said
Thakur. "Our family had moved to San Dimas. I charted an area around
where we lived and looked at all the schools. I applied at La Verne, was
interviewed by Dr. William Mitchell, and got the job."
Twenty years later, she is still going strong. "I will keep on
going for as long as I can," Thakur said. "As long as I can make
a difference in the lives of students, I will continue to teach."
Ironically, Thakur had no intentions of teaching while she was going
to school in India. Born in Ahmedabad, she resided in India for 25 years,
receiving her bachelor's degree from Gujarat University. She then obtained
a law degree in 1970 and began to practice. She was a lawyer for four years
before tiring of the long hours. "I was working up to 13 hours a day,
six to seven days a week," she said. "I came to America looking
to get into corporate law."
There were not many opportunities to get a master's of business and
administration in India. "An American MBA was viewed as more prestigious,"
she said. "I had been an exchange student in the United States in 1965.
I stayed with a family in Missouri for a month and they treated me very
well. That is why I decided to go to college in Missouri. I wanted to go
where I knew some familiar surroundings."
After completing her MBA from Northwest Missouri State in 1973, Thakur
was planning on pursuing her doctorate at the University of Missouri at
Columbia.
She had gone to visit the campus and meet with the chair of the Business
Department.
"He came right out and told me that I would never be able to get
an assistantship because I was a woman," said Thakur.
In essence, she was told that she would never be able to teach business
classes to men. The chair politely offered her an opportunity to student-teach
at a women's college 30 miles away.
Thakur said she was crushed. Returning to Northwest Missouri State,
she went to talk to her mentor, the head of the Business Department there.
"He told me that the University of Nebraska was actively recruiting
women for its Business Department," she said.
Her mentor called the Business Department head at the University of
Nebraska. When he told of Thakur's qualities, she was accepted without even
applying.
"Had I not visited Missouri the week before classes began, and
if the head of the Business Department at had not been so frank I would
have been stuck there," Thakur said.
She began student teaching at the University of Nebraska. She was hooked.
"I never thought I would be a teacher," said Thakur. "I was
so scared of my first teaching assignment. I prepared so much material but
it lasted only one semester! Fortunately, I had a lot of back-up material."
Thakur taught management classes at Ambassador College in Pasadena for
four years before coming to La Verne. In addition to teaching classes in
business and management, she was also the temporary head of the School of
Business and Global Studies and was instrumental in hiring her current supervisor,
Dr. Janis Dietz.
"I have enjoyed working with Professor Thakur for the past three
years," Dr. Dietz said. "She has been a mentor, a mother, and
a sister to me.
"She extended a warm and welcoming arm to me when I arrived. I
came from the corporate world and she gave freely of her time to help me
get acclimated.
"She helped me understand the difference between discipline and
academic rigor. The University is lucky to have her."
President Stephen Morgan echoed those sentiments. "I have known
Rita for 13 years," Dr. Morgan said. "I understand she is an excellent
teacher. She is very caring and dedicated to the University.
"She has been involved in a number of different committees. I hope
she continues to be a fixture on campus," he said.
One of Thakur's students also has high praise for her. Cindi Tenney,
a senior in business, has had the pleasure of being Thakur's student for
two classes: Principles of Management and Culture and Gender Issues in Management.
"She is a wonderful teacher," Tenney said. "She goes
well beyond her duties as a teacher. She cares for all of her students."
Tenney quickly discovered that Thakur's classes were not easy. "She
is difficult but fair," said Tenney. "You have to work and study
hard in her classes. You have to earn your grade."
Teaching is not always glamorous. The most difficult facet of Thakur's
job is "Grading and failing students. It is hard when I see someone
who has potential and does not perform up to his/her capabilities. I believe
that I have failed them as a teacher,"she said.
The rigorous schedule that Thakur keeps does not prevent her from being
a good wife and mother. She has been married for 24 years and has three
daughters, ages 21, 17 and 14.
"I have worked my schedule around my family," Thakur said.
"I made sure I was home to get my kids off to school in the morning
and be there for them in the afternoon." Her oldest daughter will graduate
this year from the University of California at San Diego with a degree in
political science.
Surprisingly, Thakur did not allow her background as a teacher to interfere
with her children's scholastic pursuits. "I never asked any of my children
about their homework," she said. "In fact, sometimes, I had to
tell them to slow down. They really push themselves. I guess it is their
cultural background that drives them to succeed."
She is proud of the fact she has been at La Verne for 20 years. "La
Verne is one of the elite schools in California because of its education
of students," Thakur said. "I hope that I can help keep the school
going in the right direction, heading into the next millennium."
On why she chose to remain at La Verne instead of going to a larger,
more prestigious university, she smiled, and said, "The University
of Redlands offered me a position in the 1980s," she said. "I
really do not have an interest of teaching anywhere else. La Verne is my
home and I am very happy with my job.
"It is important for me to do something for me. Teaching here gives
me a lot of personal satisfaction."
