Dr. Peter Schramm will be stepping down as the executive director of the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs after this semester.

In addition to that position, Schramm is also a professor of political science and history at the university. He came to Ashland in 1988 and after several Ashbrook directors resigned, agreed to take the position of executive director.

Schramm will remain at the university as a professor. Schramm cited being diagnosed with stage four melanoma cancer, and his age and energy as reasons for stepping down.

“Energy is needed in the executive and probably more energy than I am able to muster up in my condition and age…so at the end of May, they will be searching for a new director,” he said.

Since Schramm came to Ashland, the Ashbrook program has grown roughly six times the size it was his first year. This could, in part, be due to Schramm’s unending efforts to recruit and grow the political science department.

No one knows the hard work and paper pushing involved in running a program better than Dr. Schramm and he acknowledges that it can sometimes be difficult.

That difficulty, however, never stopped Schramm from positively influencing his students.

“[Dr. Schramm] is the embodiment of what the Ashbrook program stands for and really is a fantastic educator,” commented freshman Zach Lindesmith.

“Schramm is one of the most intelligent men on campus, freshman Kayla Toth said. “He truly cares about his students ad goes out of his way to make sure we are all successful in all aspects of our lives. The Ashbrook program and the political science department at Ashland would not be the same without Schramm.”

Schramm says his favorite part of his time as director was helping to shape the Ashbrook program.

“I have been able to, with my colleagues…create a serious academic program that focuses on good ole’ books,” Schramm said.

His journey at Ashland is far from over and his legacy will remain.

“Being the director of the Ashbrook Center…has been the greatest honor of my life and I am delighted to have had [this] opportunity,” he said.