Jamie Anderson

“I will always remember the apostrophe song,” said Jamison Lamp, about professor Jack Getz’s Basic Newswriting class.

From an apostrophe song to family ties in California, professors Jack Getz and Dennis Hinde will forever leave a mark on the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication when they retire in May.

“I have stayed at SDSU because of the students. This is my longest job, and I’m sure it was because of them,” said Hinde, who has been teaching at SDSU for 14 years. “They are easy to work with. They are sincere and hardworking.”

Students can appreciate what each of these professors taught them as well.

“(Professor) Hinde always makes class interesting with his quirky little comments and stories,” said Tiffany Oliver, a senior advertising major. “He has challenged me to be better than mediocre and to expect more from myself.”?

Both retiring professors have served as internship coordinators for the department; however, Getz and Hinde had very different paths before coming to SDSU.

Getz is a Sioux Falls native and attended Washington High School before receiving his journalism degree from SDSU in 1964. Getz got a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Arizona in 1985 and a doctorate in educational administration from the University of South Dakota in 2001.

“(Professor) Getz was my adviser for a semester and I’ve taken two of his classes,” said Lamp, a junior news-editorial journalism major. “I liked how he taught about titles of people and AP style.”

Dennis Hinde was born in Beloit, Wis., but spent the first 12 years of his life in northern Illinois before moving to California.

Hinde earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University, East Bay. He got his master’s in advertising from Texas Tech University in 1983 and his doctorate in advertising from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1999.

They both can attest to many changes made at SDSU over the years.

“The biggest change is the growth over the last 25 years. There were probably about 6,800 students when I came back (in 1985),” said Getz. “It has grown in physical size and what it offers. There was a lot of change in the 21 years that I wasn’t at SDSU.””The campus has changed a lot in my time, especially with all the construction. Getz and I used to share an office,” said Hinde, one of two advertising professors in the department.

“Yeager (Hall) is now one of the best-looking and best-maintained old buildings on campus.”

One thing that hasn’t changed is their passion for teaching.”The students that I’ve had kept me in teaching,” said Getz.

“Interacting with students has been interesting and fun. It’s great to pass on a skill. Basic Newswriting is still fun after 58 times. Both the class and lab are fun because you see students’ writing techniques take route.”

Both professors had various jobs before their time at SDSU. Getz worked as a reporter, sportswriter and editor for the Bismarck Tribune for three years before taking a communications job with 3M in St. Paul for two years. He finished his newspaper career in various positions at the Rapid City Journal over a 15-year span.

“Journalists need to stick with it. Remember a first job is probably not your last job,” said Getz. “You can work your way up. There is no wrong job; it may not be ideal but something will come along.”

Hinde worked as a radio announcer in the San Francisco area for almost five years, then got a job at a savings and loan bank in a management position for seven years. Hinde said he learned a lot about communication in those positions and that led to his interest in marketing and advertising.

“Try to maintain ethical standards and a healthy level of skepticism toward the advertising business,” Hinde advised students. “I love to consume. I go into the grocery store and just read labels while I shop. I developed respect for advertising.”

As for plans post-retirement, neither professor hesitated with an answer.

“I have South Dakota history and World War II books to read,” said Getz. “My wife and I will probably spend about three to four months a year at our cabin in the Black Hills. I will pursue my hobbies, such as working on my typewriter collection and trying to sell them. I am also going to work on my puttering … where you go and do stuff in the garage all day and don’t accomplish anything.”

“It will be hard to picture the journalism department without him (Getz),” said Lamp. “I hope he enjoys himself in retirement and he seems like he will always be around the news, even if it’s just writing.”

As for Hinde, he will return to a place familiar to him.”I will be moving to southern California since I have family there,” he said. “I love the desert and want to explore it and spend some time doing little projects. I enjoy going on short hikes and will start with easier ones.”

One of Hinde’s students has positive thoughts for his retirement.”I feel honored that I had the opportunity to learn from his experience,” said Oliver. “I wish him the best of luck in California.”

The professors offered their last words regarding their careers at SDSU.

“Just be yourself and do your best,” said Hinde.

“It’s been a great ride,” said Getz. “I never expected to be a professor but I wouldn’t change it.