A Wright State Treasure

Retired accounting professor continues to touch the lives of his students

When Wright State leaders travel to alumni receptions throughout Ohio and the rest of the country, one question continually comes up: How is John Talbott?

Talbott, who retired in 2008 after more than 35 years of teaching accountancy, is one of the most respected and popular professors in the university's history. He also is one of the most beloved.

When contacted about being featured in Community magazine, Talbott responded in his typical humble and almost shy manner,"Oh, I don't know about that. We have some younger faculty in the Accountancy Department who would be better to interview. You should check with the department chair first."

photo of retired accounting professor John Talbott

John Talbott is one of the most beloved professors in Wright State history.

One doesn't need to speak with a department chair to evaluate Talbott as a university educator. His record speaks for itself:

• The only two-time recipient of the Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Award in Wright State history.
• Recipient of the University Presidential Award for Outstanding Teacher and Trustee's Award for Faculty Excellence.
• Selected as a Wright State University Distinguished Professor from 1989 to 1992.
• Recipient of a combined 15 Outstanding Teacher Awards from the Raj Soin College of Business and the Department of Accountancy.
• Recipient of both the R. Lee Brummet Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) Distinguished Service Award for Education in 2002 and IMA Student Case Competition National Award in 2002.
• Advisor to Wright State student teams that have won more IMA National Case Competitions (five) than any other school in the United States.

But above all else, Talbott loves to teach. "I really enjoy the interaction with students, both inside and outside the classroom," he said with an enthusiasm that reflects his passion for teaching.

At graduation, the relationship and mentoring most students have with their professors typically comes to an end. For Talbott, commencement is just another step in the process. He works diligently to get accountancy graduates placed in jobs and stays in contact with them as their careers develop and prosper."I simply relish the interaction with the students, alumni, and business community," he explained. Although retired, he still teaches on occasion and stays in contact with former students through emails, telephone conversations, and usually one or two lunches a week.

Several Wright State alumni have voiced high praise for the mentoring they received from Talbott. "The thing that distinguished Dr. Talbott was his ability to connect with the students at a level that engaged their interest in whatever he was talking about," said John Latham, a 1991 business graduate and a tax partner with Ernst & Young in New York City. "He brought passion and levity to the classroom, which made it interesting and fun."

Justin Stallard, a 1996 graduate in accounting, expressed similar sentiments."The value that John's sense of humor brought to the classroom cannot be underestimated. Regardless of the subject matter, he made the class entertaining. As a result, I - as well as other students - was truly engaged in the classroom and looked forward to learning from him" Stallard, a tax partner with Battelle & Battelle in Dayton, said Talbott also brought "a real-world perspective to the classroom. At times some professors can come across as 'ivory tower' theorists. John was always able to relate issues, whether tax or accounting, back to real-world situations and the business world."

Faculty colleagues also appreciated the contributions of Talbott. Susan Lightle, Ph.D., an accountancy professor, said, "John Talbott is truly a treasure to Wright State. He works tirelessly to push his students to excel and to help students get that all-important first job."

Robert Sweeney, Ph.D., executive vice president for planning and secretary to the Board of Trustees, said,"John works harder and is better prepared than his students. He is always available and willing to help. He also learns the names of all his students and remembers everyone."

If there is any secret to his success as a teacher, Talbott refers to legendary Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight."Coach Knight used to say 'the will to prepare to win is infinitely more important than the will to win' and I have the philosophy that the will to prepare to teach is infinitely more important than the will to teach."

Kentucky-born and raised, Talbott graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1965. Following graduation, he spent a few years working in the private sector as a management accountant before pursuing his master's degree. "I received a teaching assistant position while pursuing the master's at UK after the Vietnam War and discovered that I really liked to teach,"he said. He went on to earn a doctorate in business administration from Kentucky and taught at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

"The winters in upstate New York got to me, so I applied at Wright State in 1975 to return closer to my origins in Kentucky," he recalled. Talbott served in the Department of Accountancy from 1975 until his retirement two years ago.

Talbott was attracted to Wright State because of the caliber of the faculty. "I was extremely impressed with the quality of the accounting and business faculty. With people like Don Pabst, Joe Castellano, Harper Roehm, and Jerry Throckmorton, it was a very strong program and one I thought I could spend several years with."

Castellano was chair of accountancy when Talbott was hired and later served for five years as dean of the business college. "In all my years at Wright State, both as a professor and administrator, I never encountered a more dynamic, incredibly talented and inspiring teacher than John," Castellano said."But he was more than just a talented teacher. He was one of the most gracious and dedicated persons I have met. He deeply cared about his students and would go the extra mile to help them become the best that they could be both personally and professionally."

Talbott offered similar praise for Wright State's students. "The students then, and now, are outstanding, and the loyalty of the alumni is amazing. I am firmly convinced, and have been for years, that Wright State business students can compete with anyone, anywhere, from any school," he said with obvious pride.

When he is not teaching, Talbott devotes his time to two avocations stemming from his Kentucky roots—horse racing and basketball. "I was a horse breeder and owner for 25 years and also coached youth basketball for many years," he explained. He once convinced the Accountancy Department to finance a trip to the state playoffs for a team of 13-year-olds. On another occasion, he worked with Concerned Black Christian Men to bring inner-city youth to Wright State basketball games. For several years, he organized a program for inner-city youth from Meadowdale High School to acquaint these students with a collegiate experience.

But the classroom is where Professor John Talbott really excels. As comments from former students and colleagues clearly indicate, Talbott has definitely mastered the will to prepare to teach.