"At the end of August of this year, following a long (45 years) and rewarding career as a college professor, I retired from my position of Professor of Engineering Psychology at the United States Military Academy. During my decades in higher education, I had the privilege of teaching and mentoring thousands of undergraduate students, engaged in a variety of stimulating research projects, and participated in a important community service for my institution and my profession."
"My decision to retire was not a quick one nor did I arrive at it without substantial thought. My work was a source of meaning and purpose in my life, and I knew that leaving that behind would be a challenge. I readily acknowledge and am grateful to have had a profession that was so rewarding and therefore hard to step away from."
"Most of my social interactions over the past five decades have revolved one way or another around my job. The daily give and take in the classroom with students provided social stimulation. Research collaborations and hallway or office chats with colleagues did the same. My department at West Point sponsored regular social events, ranging from football tailgates to formal dinner gatherings."
Long careers often create social networks centered on work, and retirement can sever those ties, risking social death. Work provides daily interpersonal stimulation via teaching, research collaborations, hallway conversations, and departmental social events. Leaving a rewarding profession can be emotionally challenging because of lost meaning and purpose. Social death is not inevitable; proactive social engagement through mentorship, community service, new activities, and maintained relationships can produce social rebirth. Intentional planning and efforts to cultivate connections transform retirement into an opportunity for continued purpose, belonging, and meaningful activity.
Read at Psychology Today
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