A Lifetime of Impact
Dr. Randy Simmons Retires After 44 Years at USU
After 44 years at Utah State University, Dr. Randy Simmons has retired at the top of his game.
Simmons is a lifetime Aggie, first as an undergraduate student and then as a faculty member. After completing graduate school at the University of Oregon, he returned to Cache Valley in 1980 and made USU his permanent academic home. During his lengthy career at USU, Simmons served as a professor and head of the Department of Political Science before joining the Department of Economics and Finance at the Huntsman School in 2008.
“I have counted Randy Simmons and his wife Janet as close friends since we were classmates together as undergraduates at Utah State University. I admire his intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm. We were extremely fortunate to attract him to join our faculty,” says Douglas D. Anderson, dean of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business. “He has been a vibrant and cheerful member of our community. He loves our students and has made their success his top priority.”
A prolific researcher and writer, Simmons has established an international reputation as a leading scholar in economics and political science. But his lasting legacy will be his outsized impact on the tens of thousands of students he’s taught through the years, many of whom he still remembers by name. Randy’s lectures deliver insightful commentary at the intersection of economics and public policy, and draw laughter from students who are eager to learn and who enjoy his charisma as much as they respect his knowledge of the subject. They praise his enthusiasm in the classroom and his ability to explain the subtleties and relevance of theoretical concepts. Students describe him as “the best teacher I ever had,” “one of my favorite professors,” and “10 out of 10.” With his friendly smile and larger-than-life personality, his presentations so fully capture their interest that many students seek out teaching and research opportunities with him, and enroll in additional courses he teaches.
A day in the life of Dr. Simmons involves meeting with student teams in his office, taking groups of students to lunch, and writing letters of recommendation for students who rely on his vast network of connections to help them find work after graduation. Students frequent his office for guidance and advice because they sense his genuine care for them as individuals and his commitment to their success.
Simmons has been recognized by his colleagues in the Huntsman School with multiple awards, including Teacher of the Year and Mentor of the Year. His friends like to say that “all roads lead through Randy,” which is a reflection of the breadth and depth of his mentorship. His students are professionally engaged across the country in public policy and private industry. They point to Randy as a key mentor who believed in them and helped them find their way in life.
Ryan Stowers, Executive Director of the Charles Koch Foundation, took many classes from Randy and also worked as his graduate teaching and research assistant. “He conveyed ideas in a way that enlightened, challenged, and broadened my perspectives on the world. But he went beyond the classroom by teaching me skills like writing and communicating that I would need in the real world. He mentored me through the beginning of my career and helped me get my first job. He was critical to the launching of my career.”
Simmons says his love of students is what kept him focused and motivated for more than forty years. An anonymous student comment captures his lasting impact:
"I hold you, Randy, in my personal Hall of Fame for Educators in my life."