Legendary economics professor J. Richard Aronson is believed to have taught more students than any other Lehigh professor – an estimated 20,000. Past students include Interim President Kevin Clayton and several university trustees.

Aronson also distinguished himself as director of The Martindale Center for the Study of Private Enterprise. As director, a position he held since the center’s inception in 1980, he influenced the lives of hundreds of students who took life-changing trips to countries that included Iceland and Greece.

After 50 years at Lehigh, Aronson, the William L. Clayton professor of Business and Economics, plans to retire at the end of the 2014-2015 academic year.

“To his students, Rich is more than just a great teacher,” said Sarat Sethi ’92, a Lehigh trustee and The Martindale Society president, in marking Aronson’s golden anniversary. “He’s a dynamic leader, and he’s a shining example of mentorship at its best.”