Steve Rouse Is in the House: A Festschrift for Steve From Friends, Colleagues, Students, and Loved Ones

Given that there is a need to foster a stronger culture of belonging within higher education and that the festschrift, as a genre, is a “survivor of a more collegial academic age” (Richetti, 2012, p. 237), we dedicate this festschrift to Dr. Steven Vay Rouse or “Steve,” a psychology professor whose life mission was to ensure that everyone he met felt like they belonged, especially those from historically marginalized communities. Steve was a psychology professor who did not conform to the culture of rugged individualism widespread within academia but who instead believed in cultivating the collective good. Therefore, in this article, students, friends, colleagues, and loved ones share their memories of and thoughts about the impact of Steve’s vibrant life. Our aim is to keep Steve’s legacy alive through these words by showing how small acts of care can make a big difference, and to inspire the reader to care for others in their own lives, classrooms, and universities. The need to cooperate and to value each other is important, now more than ever, when authoritarian policies are being instituted to divide those inside and outside of U.S. academia. Steve knew the importance of these principles better than anyone; he was able to accomplish the true mission of higher education, which is to live life as a whole person and to foster the flourishing of students, friends, colleagues, and loved ones, leading a life of joy and fulfillment until the very end.