Dr. James Earl Danieley, a member of the Elon University faculty since 1946, will retire from teaching at the end of the 2015-2016 academic year, according to family members and university sources.
Danieley, 91, spent time in the hospital this semester. He’s been present around campus recently, though, attending spring convocation March 31 and the 125th anniversary of Elon Community Church celebration April 17. This spring, he co-taught “Elon Past Present Future,” with Professor of History Nancy Midgette.
A native of Alamance County, Danieley graduated from Elon in 1946 and was offered a position as a chemistry instructor shortly after graduation. He’s been on the faculty ever since, teaching mostly chemistry courses but also public speaking during his term as president from 1957 to 1973.
Early in his career, Danieley briefly left Elon to earn a doctorate in organic chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He then completed post-graduate research at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Danieley returned to Elon College in 1953 to once again teach chemistry and was named dean of the college. He has held this position for four years.
This story is being jointly reported by Elon Local News and The Pendulum. Elizabeth Bilka, Ashley Bohle, and Tommy Hamzik contributed to this story.