35 Years of Service: Herbert Helm Jr.

Professor of Psychology, School of Social & Behavioral Sciences

previousnext

What can one say about Herb Helm, who is often referred to affectionately by his students and his colleagues within our school as “the Helm.” Since 1992, Herb has been a constant in the School of Social & Behavioral Sciences (SSBS), always providing our students with excellence in teaching and mentoring in research. In fact, Herb was awarded the Daniel A. Augsburger Excellence in Teaching Award (2011–2012) and the Siegfried H. Horn Award for Excellence in Research & Creative Scholarship (2017).

During his 35-year tenure, Herb has served as director of the psychology program and vice chair of our school. He was also instrumental in the development of the SSBS’s current two-semester research methods curriculum sequence. Herb served as the instructor and tour guide for our biannual study tour to Peru, as well as providing a behavioral sciences sociocultural awareness pedagogical aspect to the Tanzania study tour.

However, what is fascinating about Herb is his unofficial title of the new “Siskel and Ebert” in film critiquing. Rotten Tomatoes has nothing on “the Helm” in providing good insight into which movies are worth watching. Besides movie critiquing, Herb is a “die-hard” Chicago Bears football fan. There have been many times on Mondays following Sunday football that our school office area would be filled with the banter of back-and-forth after-game sports analysis of who was better between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions.

Herb is blessed with a wonderful family, that has grown to include grandchildren whom he loves dearly. Beyond the teacher, scholar and family man, Herb has been blessed by God with artistic talent in water coloring and now building string wooden instruments. Often you can see him paddleboarding on Lake Michigan when the weather is of a warmer nature.

In sum, Herb has been a “beacon of light,” a gift that only God can provide who has blessed the many students, faculty and staff who have traveled through the halls of Andrews University. Congratulations Herb, on your 35 years of dedicated service to Andrews University!