UCA building renamed in honor of longest teaching professor

The University of Central Arkansas board of trustees is renaming a building on campus in honor of the school's longest teaching professor, who died earlier this summer, the university announced Friday.

Jerry Manion, who spent nearly 50 years working the Department of Chemistry as a professor and chair for the department, died in July.

As the longest serving professor in the history of UCA, the board has decided to rename Laney Hall to Laney-Manion Hall.

The building was previously named for Arkansas Gov. Benjamin Laney and is home to the chemistry department where Manion worked.

Manion’s wife, Patsy, said her husband was still signed up to teach in the fall and planned to complete his 50 years of teaching when he died.

“He had a great life,” Patsy said. “He loved what he did. He loved this university. He loved the students, and we couldn’t go anywhere in the 48 states and not run into one of his students.”

Manion was a graduate of Harding University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and went on to receive a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Mississippi. He served as chair for the department from 1965 to 1992, and was the 1999 UCA Public Service Award winner. An award bearing his name will be given out annually to an outstanding chemistry student.

Manion also played the 5-string banjo, and helped form a bluegrass band known as “The Professors.”

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