Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications suffered a major loss when associate teaching professor Curt Chandler died of cancer on Monday.
Chandler, a beloved multimedia and entrepreneurial journalism instructor who influenced the lives of numerous students, quietly battled pancreatic cancer since receiving a terminal diagnosis in May of 2021, all while balancing his passions for teaching and storytelling. He was 64.
“Those of you who had the chance to learn from him know: He was generous, he was enthusiastic, and he was connected and current,” Bellisario Dean Marie Hardin wrote in an email to students early Tuesday morning. “He was the kind of teacher who made a difference in the lives of students he taught, making himself available around the clock. He encouraged you to stretch your imagination and do work you never dreamed you could do.”
Prior to teaching at Penn State, Chandler worked as an award-winning photojournalist for outlets across Colorado, Utah, and Ohio before settling down as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s director of photography, later becoming the paper’s first editor for online innovation. In 2007, he began a 15-year career teaching students at Penn State as he launched the College of Communications’ multimedia program and became a founding faculty member of the university’s Keystone Multimedia Workshop.
At Penn State, Chandler taught Principles of Journalism, Advanced Multimedia Production and Entrepreneurial Journalism. He also helped spearhead efforts for the Centre Film Festival and extracurricular efforts like Centre News Digest.
“Curt’s enthusiasm for journalism was matched only by his enthusiasm for his students. He was full of great story ideas, and he pushed his students to do their best work,” Russ Eshleman, associate teaching professor and journalism department head, said. “No matter if it was along a rural stretch of Potter County, in the hubbub of a Baltimore neighborhood or the streets of Hong Kong, he always looked for ways to help students succeed.”
Outside of teaching, Chandler was a consistent advocate for student media, including once-up-and-coming projects like Onward State, StateCollege.com’s student-run partner site. Over the years, Chandler profoundly impacted the lives and careers of countless Onward Staters.
“Curt Chandler was a supporter of Onward State for as long as there’s been an Onward State,” said co-founder Davis Shaver.
Many former students and colleagues shared memories of Chandler on Wednesday on social media.
“One of the greatest teachers and humans out there,” Wall Street Journal photo editor Dave Cole, a Penn State graduate and former Onward State editor, wrote on Twitter. “So fortunate to have spent time learning from him at Penn State and in the years since. College media won’t be the same.”
Chandler, who made his home in Philipsburg and Pittsburgh, is survived by his wife, Stacie Lynn Paulsen Chandler; his four children; his three grandchildren; as well as his sister and brother. His full obituary is available online.
Penn State plans to hold a memorial service for Chandler at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Bellisario College’s Chandler Grant for Storytelling or the Family House in Pittsburgh, according to the college.
“We are, after all, a stronger and better community because of Curtis William Chandler,” Hardin wrote.
StateCollege.com’s Geoff Rushton contributed to this report.
