After more than 40 years of teaching, Larry Ault, a professor at Illinois Valley Community College, is preparing to retire at the end of this school year. He’s taught for 41 years, with the last 25 at IVCC.
Over the years, he’s taught band, choir, physics, and chemistry, earning degrees and certificates along the way, including two master’s degrees.
He’s taught all over the country, from Kansas, to Missouri, Indiana, and finally here in Illinois at IVCC. He also spent time in the Air Force, playing in the Strategic Air Command band in Omaha, Nebraska, which he says was one of the great experiences of his life.
What Larry will miss most, he said surely, are the students. The bonds he built with them have been the heart of his career.
Ault said he feels he has succeeded as a teacher when students feel welcome in his class and are excited to come back.
His students have always been the most important thing to him, and he said he hopes they remember him as a teacher who truly cared.
That same student-first mindset is something his longtime coworker and friend, Mike Phillips, says defines him best. Phillips, who has worked alongside Ault since he began at IVCC, believes Larry’s greatest quality as a teacher is his focus on students. “He cares deeply about the students and works very hard to help them succeed,” Phillips said.
Phillips added that Larry has a way of making both students and coworkers feel welcome and supported. He encourages curiosity and creates an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions. “I know that if I need something for lab, especially for my students, Larry will help me get it,” Phillips said.
“If students need something, they can go to Larry and he will help them.” People know they can count on him.
Another admiration of Ault, expressed by Phillips, is his devotion and involvement in the environment. He has helped lead river testing and contributed to many environmental groups through his dedication of keeping his environment clean, safe, and healthy.
Reflecting on life, one quote comes to Larry’s mind: “Too soon we break the tape and too late realize the fun lies in the running.” It perfectly captures his ideals: don’t rush through life, savor every moment, and enjoy the journey as much as the finish.
After retirement, he plans to devote even more time to his lifelong love of music.