Dennis H. Hudson
2009 Mr. Homecoming
Dennis H. Hudson (MS '79), associate professor of accounting and Mr. Homecoming 2009, didn't take his first position at The University of Tulsa intending to stay for the rest of his life.
"But I'm still here, and I've enjoyed nearly every minute of it," he said.
Hudson arrived at The University of Tulsa in 1978 to pursue a master's degree in accounting. He left Tulsa to pursue a Ph.D., but returned in 1982 as an assistant professor of accounting and has been a mainstay on campus since.
Hudson's involvement on campus has stretched beyond his faculty appointments, to include alumni service and mentoring students. He has served as a member of the TU Alumni Association Board of Directors since 1990, as faculty adviser to Student Association for more than 20 years, and as a member of the Truman/Marshall Selection Committee for five years. He has also served as a faculty advisor for several other student organizations, including Mortar Board, Beta Alpha Psi, and the TU chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants.
Several groups on campus have recognized Hudson's dedication with awards, including the Collins College of Business Excellence in Teaching Award three times, the TU Distinguished Professor Award, the Mortar Board Excellence in Teaching Award. Despite the recognition, Hudson still shuns credit for the success of any of the groups with which he's worked.
"I helped shepherd some projects, but other people did most of the real work," he said. "I've been a cheerleader for groups and initiatives, and that's pretty easy to do when there are so many worthwhile projects going on."
During Hudson's time at TU, he has been a part of TU's evolution from a regionally respected commuter school to a Top 100 national university. The changes he's witnessed are not limited to the physical campus, though. He also points out the vision of TU's leadership coinciding with physical improvements and a renewed focus on the academic quality of the student body.
"Even as a grad student, I understood how special TU was," Hudson said. "But I look at the ways the campus has grown and the caliber of students the university now attracts, and I'm still impressed."
Through all the changes, TU has remained the right fit for Hudson. While he still doesn't plan on being on the faculty for the rest of his life, he has no plans to leave the Golden Hurricane.
"This sounds kind of cheesy, but I still appreciate the opportunity to be here," he said. "Eventually, I'll retire from teaching, but I'll never retire from TU."