After a career long enough to have taught approximately 15,000 students, Lewis Davidson retired from the School of Accounting at Florida International University (FIU).
Forty-four friends, colleagues, former students and family gathered at the College of Business Administration on April 27, 2011, to honor Davidson, who taught at FIU from 1984 on after stints at Penn State, University of Texas-Austin, New York University and University of North Carolina.
“The students at FIU were as good and as bright as any I have taught,” he said, noting that a student from his first class was among those who attended the reception to tell him how much they had enjoyed his courses. “They are highly recruited and do well on the CPA Exam.”
“Lew Davidson is a true visionary,” said Ruth Ann McEwen, director of the school. “He became director when the School of Accounting was still a small, regional program. Under his guidance, the school has become a deeply respected source of accounting staff with one of the largest programs in the United States. We are grateful for his tenacity and proud to be part of his achievements.”
Span of career enables Davidson to track the school’s evolution.
Over the years he spent at FIU, Davidson saw many changes.
“The student body was older when I started,” he said. “For instance, there were professionals who had left Cuba and had to retool for new careers in the United States. Also, in the early years, you didn’t see anyone on campus till evening because there were very few day classes.”
In addition to McEwen, Davidson’s colleagues Manny Dieguez, who retired in 2008 after 32 years of service and John Wrieden, distinguished senior lecturer, spoke about him at the reception.
