Weinberg’s Hold on Hood
By: Maria Clements

Professor Al Weinberg’s extensive resume has consistently led him back to the Hood College campus over the last 30 years. From 1971 through today, he has roamed the halls and filtered through the Pergola, witnessed Hood’s transformation and recounted traditions in his class rooms – keeping Hood’s legacy and mission  alive every day – simply, because he actually lived it.

Every male student who has been, is, or will be a Blazer can thank Weinberg for his help paving the way for one of the biggest changes Hood College made in the 1970s.

Not only do the boys have to show gratitude – but the English and Communication Departments would not be the same without his expertise and experience.

 

How long has Weinberg been @ Hood?

Who do we thank for Weinberg’s presence at Hood?
How did he come to influence us today?

Perhaps his girlfriend in 1968 who, as a secretary of the local draft board, gave him a heads up that he was about to be drafted for Vietnam – preventing him from going overseas. Instead he enlisted in the Army, and was stationed at Fort Hood in Texas as Military Police for two years. 

“One of the nice things about the military, at least in those days, they had great libraries – and hardly anybody uses them. And the library, much of the time I was at Fort Hood, became a respite for me…and I became a veracious reader, especially of American fiction,” says Weinberg. Was this where his love for literature and journalism began?

Rather should we thank the Hood College board members in 1970 who were vital decision makers accepting tuition from the male population?

Should we thank is father who convinced him that it would be easier to attend Hood, rather than commute to the University of Maryland?

The English department introduced a journalism program during his junior/senior year and “from day one, from the first class I immediately felt as if I really had a firm grasp of that style of writing. I then said, ‘I think I want to be a journalist.’” His connection with the style of writing and with the professor led him to pursue what would soon be a very successful career at local newspaper and magazine organizations.

Or for the Frederick News Post , who did not know Al Weinberg from ‘Adam’ but gave him a reporting job working the weekend night shift. Even though he lost many hours of sleep and rest, he gained priceless experience that would drive his passion to leave a greater imprint on Frederick as a community and eventually to Hood’s campus where his travels through the journalism world would transcend through the next generation.

We should thank whoever called Weinberg in 1985 asking him to teach the Introduction to Journalism course. While he was an adjunct professor at Hood, he was also working as a copy editor and assistant news editor at the Herold Mail  where he met Professor Bertazzoni.

What keeps him here?
Simply put:

His impact
Aubrey (Coats) Wachter, class of 2008, states in relation to the impact Prof. Weinberg made on her college career “As the face of Hood's communications program, Al Weinberg was not only a professor, but also mentor, adviser and friend. He made a huge impact on my education which has spilled over into my professional career. His experience and wisdom in the field helped to strengthen my writing and critical skills. It's rare to meet someone like him who so greatly impacts your life for years after graduation. He taught me a lot and I will certainly not forget him or his mark on my education anytime soon!”

When he leaves?
As they say, the show must go on – and so will the communications program at Hood College. Professors Atwood, Bertazzoni, Orloff, Farrell and Lee will continue to alter the program based on the ever-so changing mass media world. They will continue to bounce their professional experiences and opinion off of each other in order to encourage Hood students to develop techniques and polish professional skills socially and mechanically in relation to communications.

Will he ever leave?
Weienberg states matter-of-factly “I’m an old dog. I know I am close to retirement and it is time to move on and let someone else take over.”

No one likes change. However Professor Weinberg embraces it and the legacy he will leave for the Hood community as a whole has directly and indirectly changed the lives of his co-workers and of students.

So what will Hood College look like when Al Weinberg leaves?

Much different.

Hopefully, what he has taught us in regards to the Hood legacy will blaze on for many more years through many more graduates.

I am thinking about retiring. It won’t be after this year, but it might be after next,” he says.

However he has been saying that exact phrase since 2006 – but we won’t complain.