Sharon and I joined the School of Journalism at Ohio State at the same time--the summer of 1977. Sharon had just finished her doctorate at Indiana. I was moving from the faculty at Syracuse University. We have been dear personal and professional friends ever since.

I have many wonderful memories of and stories to tell about Sharon, but this one is my favorite, and I've told it many times. It is a true story, and it says so very much about Sharon.

I was walking down the hallway to Sharon's office at OSU for a chat as a young man was leaving her office. He was smiling and he kept thanking Sharon for her help.

I said to Sharon that must have been a very good conversation and I asked her what she had told the student

She said she had told the young man she thought he was in the wrong field and that he should change his major.

That was Sharon. She had the ability to be direct with people, to be honest, and to be helpful regardless of the message. She cared about people, and she communicated that so very well.

I don't want to think about Sharon in the past. My memories of her are very much alive, and I plan to keep them that way.