A generation of Wabash men do not know Wabash without Associate Professor of History Rick Warner. Other professors have come and gone, but when Warner retires this May after 27 years at the College, Wabash’s essence will be somewhat diminished, a little less tangible. A Wabash without him will take some getting used to.
Warner arrived in Crawfordsville in 1999 as a Visiting Assistant Professor of History. A previous career as a chef taught him what he wanted from a place he lived and worked: humility, equality and a collective desire to work hard. He found that at Wabash, which he proudly calls “an O-line school.”
“Our working-class, from-the-bottom-up culture is what really struck me and what continues to strike me,” said Warner.
When a permanent position became available a couple of years later, he jumped at the opportunity. Since those early days, Warner has distinguished himself in many roles on and beyond campus. He chaired the history department for many years, served as Faculty Secretary, led the national World History Association as president, chaired the Off-Campus Study committee for years, advised numerous student organizations and has quite possibly advised more Wabash students over the past 25 years than anyone else. His accolades include the 2014 McLain-McTurnan-Arnold Excellence in Teaching Award, the Wabash Club of Indianapolis’ 2026 Man of the Year award and honorary alumnus status.
When he got the call in 2019 from then-president of the National Association of Wabash Men (NAWM) Marc Nichols ’92 that he would be named an honorary alumnus, Nichols told him that there was interesting discussion on the board about bestowing alumni status on Warner. The point of contention? More than half of the NAWM board thought that Warner was already an alumnus. Such is the passion he has for Wabash and its students.
“His complete care for students is unique — he lifts students up when they are down; when students hurt, he hurts; if a student is missing from class, he will go and find them; and of course, he loves to feed the campus,” said Dean of the College Todd McDorman.
Warner is beloved among students to a rare degree. His passion for Wabash’s athletic teams is well-known, and students in his classes fondly recall watching “The Catch” from the 2001 Monon Bell Game on the first day of each new course. His culinary skills are also legendary on campus; he has spent untold hours forging community between students, faculty and staff through his food. His love for Wabash and its ethos endears him to students.
“His Wabash spirit, and how much he loves Wabash is awesome, especially for a guy that didn’t even go to Wabash,” said Owen Peelle ’28, who’s had Warner in four courses. “I think that makes it even cooler that he’s such a big fan of the school and the culture.”
One of Warner’s fondest memories of Wabash was his initiation into the Sphinx Club. The group’s president had asked him to come to the Chapel one evening to quiz the Rhynes on Wabash’s history, but when Warner showed up — books in tow — he was shocked to learn that the quiz had only been a ruse to get him to his own initiation. He’s donned a pot ever since.
“Professor Warner has made an incredible contribution not only to Wabash College, but also to the Sphinx Club,” said Sphinx Club president Carac Johnson ’27. “Since his initiation as a professor, he has provided his time, talent and treasure to each event that the Sphinx Club holds on our campus. His commitment to the student body and the Sphinx Club has been tremendous, and we could not be more thankful to have his presence on our campus.”
Warner fits right into the Sphinx Club, often in ways that even other honorary members do not.
“I think it is safe to say that he is the only professor that I’ve ever had a conversation with about keeping their shirt on at campus events!” said McDorman.
Warner has also embodied a spirit of open discussion on campus and the humility required to enter into conversations with people of different backgrounds. In a time when that skill is in low supply in public spaces, Warner’s willingness to engage everyone equally shines.
“I’ve learned that we can have conversations, and I don’t think that’s true in a lot of the world, unfortunately,” said Warner. “But I think that here it’s okay to have conversations with guys that may have different backgrounds. And so I’ve really approached it that way.”
Though he won’t be present on campus as a professor, Warner will still be engaged on campus and the wider Crawfordsville community. He’ll continue to research the connection between food and history, his specialty, and he’ll remain involved with health services on campus by regularly educating students on substance abuse. And of course, he will be decked out in his Sphinx Club pot come football season.
“He’s just a true believer in Wabash and the community that it takes to keep a place like this going,” said Professor of Religion and Stephen S. Bowen Professor of the Liberal Arts Derek Nelson ’99, a longtime friend of Warner’s. “He’ll find new ways to continue that, but we also will have to do more in his absence.”