Longtime CMU professors retire
Walt and Judi Lesiak, whose years teaching at Central amount to more than half a century, returned to the east coast after retiring in May.
The Lesiaks, both former psychology professors, now call East Sandwich, Mass. on Cape Cod, their home. Walt Lesiak retired after teaching at Central since 1970. His wife Judi left CMU after 28 and-a-half years at the university.
The Lesiaks both earned bachelors degrees in psychology from Central Connecticut State College in 1962.
"We met each other at Central Connecticut. We were married in 1965, and we've been pestering each other ever since," Judi laughed.
Both Judi and Walt had grown up in Connecticut. After graduating from CCSC, Walt went on to earn a master's in 1964 and a doctorate in 1970 from Ohio State University. Judi earned her master's degree in 1968 and a doctorate in 1970, also from Ohio State University.
After a combined 58 and-a-half years at CMU, the Lesiaks say they have a wealth of memories to enjoy.
"We helped to train over 300 school psychologists," Judi said. "We had a lot of wonderful students and still have a lot of contact with them over the years."
"We were brought there to do graduate instruction in psychology," Walt said. "After 30 years we have had a lot of contact with graduate students, in mostly small classes."
Judi said she and her husband also worked with several people in Central's psychology program over the years who will be fondly remembered.
"We worked with them for over 15 years. It was a close-knit group," she said. "We had a few disagreements but there were many more agreements."
In addition to teaching at Central, Walt was the director of the Psychological Training and Consultation Center in Sloan Hall. And he still serves as the project consultant for a local school violence research team that has visited several U.S. communities this year. The team, made up of various local leaders, helps heal the wounds of communities that have experienced violence in their schools and also takes home tips and knowledge for the mid-Michigan area.
"In the last part of my career, I've worked with various police departments," Walt said. "I will still be involved in psychology programs, with kids who have behavioral and learning disabilities, in some kind of capacity."
Walt described a particularly memorable retirement gift he and his wife received.
"It was a gift from former graduate students. It was a big booklet full of letters from different students, going back to the early 1970s. Some of them have kids who have already graduated from college."
Judi said she intends on making the most of her retirement. She said she is a triplet, and her other two sisters in the triplet have retired at Cape Cod as well.
"I plan on doing some hobbies, mostly gardening and basket making. I'm also thinking of writing a book about witches on the Cape."
"I'm leaving Wednesday for Florida to pick up a new boat, and plan to do a lot of fishing," Walt said.
