After 30 Years, English Professor Turns the Page on Teaching Career

After 30 years of teaching, mentoring thousands of students and publishing more than 50 scholarly and creative works, University of Detroit Mercy English Professor Nicolas Rombes is preparing to turn the page on a remarkable career.

Rombes will retire this month after three decades in the College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences.

Since joining Detroit Mercy in 1995, Rombes has taught courses in early American literature, film studies, creative writing and first-year writing. Along the way, he earned a reputation as a dedicated educator, mentor and scholar.

The first course he taught at Detroit Mercy was early American literature, a seminar focused on writers such as Harriet Jacobs and Emily Dickinson.

"It was a small class, like a seminar, and I was nervous but quickly discovered I didn't need to be," Rombes said. "The students made me feel at ease, and I knew I had come to the right place."

Throughout his career, Rombes has earned numerous accolades and published works ranging from novels and essays to academic scholarship and creative nonfiction. While proud of those accomplishments, he said his greatest achievements came in the classroom.

"On the days when everything clicks in the classroom, those are the days that I consider my biggest accomplishments," Rombes said. "The scholarship and novels I've published all feed into what I do in the classroom. I'm prouder of how I've been able to translate that work into teaching than I am of the publications themselves."

Rombes' path to academia began at Bowling Green State University, where he initially planned to become a journalist. That changed after taking several English courses.

"I remember looking at my professors and thinking, 'This is the life for me' - spending time reading and writing and talking about books with students," he said.

His favorite memories from Detroit Mercy are also rooted in the classroom.

"My favorite moments have been in the classroom, riding the wave of class discussions about books and films," Rombes said. "I've been privileged to spend a good part of my life with students and colleagues who have inspired me."

Hearing from former students years later remains one of the most rewarding aspects of his career, he said.

"When I hear from a student years later telling me that something we studied in class stayed with them or led them down a new path of exploration, those are also my favorite moments."

Teaching, he added, has always been a two-way experience.

"Students often bring a sense of wonder to the classroom and nurturing that wonder is one of the most important lessons I've learned over the years," Rombes said.

As retirement approaches, Rombes plans to continue writing, spend more time with family and explore parts of the United States he has never visited.

"I'm working on another novel set in Detroit and am excited to have the time to focus on it," he said.

One project he plans to continue developing in retirement is the Timecodes series, which he co-edits. Each volume focuses on a single film and invites writers to analyze it one minute at a time. Each minute becomes a short essay, reflection or exploration, allowing readers to experience the film in real time.

"The series builds on previous work I've done that brings a more creative writing approach to film criticism," Rombes said. "I'm fascinated by the idea that constraints and limits can often unleash creative potential, which is the opposite of how we usually think about creative freedom."

Rombes' work on Timecodes has been featured in publications including Filmmaker Magazine for its innovative approach to film criticism and creative writing.

"I'm passionate about this work," he said. "What I love most about the series is helping other writers discover creative ways to write about film."

While he looks forward to retirement, leaving Detroit Mercy will not be easy.

"I'll miss the students and my colleagues," Rombes said. "I'll also miss the rhythm of the academic calendar - preparing syllabi, teaching and writing. University life has been a part of who I am for so long."

He also expressed gratitude for the CHASS community.

"I'll miss the supportive, collegial environment in CHASS, for which Dean Boryczka is largely responsible," he said.

For Rombes, retirement may mark the end of a chapter, but his impact on generations of students and the University community will continue long after the final page is turned.