Valerie Chamberlain Memorial
On August 17, 2023, the College of Human Sciences (COHS) lost a beloved friend and long-time colleague. Valerie Chamberlain worked for Texas Tech University for 15 years under the Home Economics department.
Chamberlain received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Family Consumer Sciences from the University of Vermont and Florida State University. She then went on to teach and write ten textbooks throughout her career.
Merrilyn Cummings, a former COHS faculty member, shares her experience with Chamberlain.
"Valerie was a dear mentor and friend,” Cummings said. “Our ten years together in Lubbock were special and kept us connected over the years. We were fast friends and wrote a university textbook together. I retired from NMSU in 2009. She stayed in Vermont after her retirement until a few years ago when she moved to Texas to be closer to her adult children."
Dr. Debora Fowler, a current Hospitality & Retail Management faculty member, expresses her gratitude for Chamberlain as an educator.
"I never met Dr. Chamberlain, but when I was here as a doctoral student, I used her textbook when I taught the Methods of Teaching course for undergraduates,” Fowler said. “I was familiar with the book from when I was an undergraduate at the University of Central Arkansas. I was in awe of how she wrote such a down-to-earth guide while incorporating leading research about teaching."
Chamberlain will be dearly missed as a friend, colleague, and educator. Her legacy will live on through her contributions to the academic field and will continue showcasing her dedication to inspiring and teaching future generations.