By Caleb Wheeler | Staff Writer
Dr. Roger Kirk entered college hoping to become a well-accomplished trombone player. Little did he know that his journey would lead him to become the longest-serving professor in Baylor history and a foundational contributor to the creation of the psychology department.
Roger Kirk, who died in December 2023, served at Baylor from 1958 until his retirement in 2019. An emeritus distinguished professor of psychology and statistics, he taught a variety of classes — ranging from dance to statistics — and supervised over 20 Ph.D. students in his 61 years at the university.
“He loved what he did,” Dr. Jane Kirk, his wife and an emeritus associate professor of keyboard studies, said. “He loved what he taught. He really enjoyed his students. He was very invested in them — not just as people taking his course, but who they were as individuals.”
Jane Kirk said her husband was devoted to the quality of his teaching and to the empowerment of his students. She said he also cared about giving them the best class possible, even if that meant breaking into dance.
“He would do whatever was necessary to help students reach their classroom goals and their goals in life,” Jane Kirk said. “And if it meant when their eyes started glazing over in class to do a cha-cha step, he would do it.”
Roger and Jane Kirk taught dance classes together for several years at Baylor. These classes were open to students and faculty alike.
“Some of my favorite memories are when we used to teach in the continuing education courses, and we taught ballroom dance, and we had such an amazingly interesting group show up for those — faculty members, staff members, occasionally students,” Jane Kirk said. “It was just a really rich experience for people on many different levels of knowledge or expertise to be on the same level.”
Although Roger Kirk taught a variety of classes, Jane Kirk noted that there was never a difference in the way he taught. Whether it was dance or statistics, Roger Kirk was dedicated to helping his students reach their goals.
“He felt it was a huge responsibility for him to help them [accomplish what they want],” Jane Kirk said. “It wasn’t just something they needed to do on their own. He took it as a personal goal to help them realize their goals.”
Dr. Thomas Fergus, associate chair of psychology and neuroscience, said in the 17 years they worked together, Roger Kirk was always gracious and wanted both students and faculty to grow.
“[Roger Kirk] really wanted the department to flourish,” Fergus said. “He was extremely invested in seeing the faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students and staff succeed. That’s what I remember most about Dr. Kirk: his commitment to wanting the entire department to be successful.”
Fergus said he remembers Roger Kirk as an avid ballroom dancer who knew how to balance the seriousness of what needed to be done with levity and humor. Apart from his consistent kindness and humor, he was also admired for his perspective.
“[Kirk] had a historical perspective that was unmatched,” Fergus said. “Up until his retirement, he knew every single faculty member who had been a part of the department. I think his historical knowledge and appreciation for Baylor was something that cannot be matched.”
Fergus said he thinks Baylor was central to the identity of Roger Kirk, as he served the university for 61 years.
“I think for Dr. Kirk, he always wanted the best, both for what he could offer students as well as for himself,” Fergus said. “So when he taught those courses, he fell in love with it, but he also proceeded to develop an expertise and actively sought that out to improve his ability to be an instructor and help others.”
Jane Kirk said her husband was devoted to connecting with students in every possible way. For many years, he would give students his home phone number, with the only rule being to not call after 10 p.m.
“I think [Roger Kirk] is the kind of faculty member that Baylor seeks to have here: someone certainly who’s at the top of his knowledge or skills, but someone who cares about students and fellow faculty members,” Jane Kirk said.
Jane Kirk said she wants people to remember one thing about her husband above all else: “His brilliance was matched by his kindness.”
