(ANGOLA) - Trine University is mourning the death of longtime professor, coach and environmental advocate Pete Hippensteel, who passed away April 8 after decades of service to both the university and Steuben County's lake community.
Trine President Earl D. Brooks II said Hippensteel's impact stretched far beyond the classroom.
Brooks said Hippensteel influenced generations of Tri-State College and Trine students while also becoming a tireless champion for protecting Steuben County's lakes and water quality.
Hippensteel joined Tri-State College in 1964 as a chemistry professor after five years of teaching high school.
Just three years later, he launched the school's biology program, building the major from the ground up and teaching each course as it was first introduced.
His work in academics earned repeated honors, including teaching excellence awards in 1989 and 1996, recognition in Who's Who Among America's Teachers, and eventually designation as professor emeritus following his 2005 retirement.
His impact also extended into Trine athletics.
Hippensteel served as the university's faculty athletic representative for 39 years, a stretch during which Tri-State never had to forfeit a contest over eligibility issues.
He also coached Tri-State baseball for 11 seasons between 1966 and 1983.
Outside the university, Hippensteel became one of Steuben County's most recognizable environmental leaders.
As a Lake James resident, he served in leadership roles with the Steuben County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Steuben County Lakes Council, the Indiana Soil Conservation Board, Indiana Lake Management Society and Indiana Wildlife Federation.
He frequently involved Trine students in local lake research, including water sampling and monitoring efforts.
In 2022, the 101 Lakes Trust honored Hippensteel with its Environmental Visionary Award, adding to decades of conservation recognition.
Trine said his legacy will continue through both the students he mentored and the ongoing university awards established in his name honoring athletic service and biological sciences support.
A separate Herald Republican tribute by Mike Marturello offers a deeper and deeply personal look at Hippensteel's extraordinary legacy in the classroom, on campus and as one of Indiana's most influential voices for lake preservation and water quality.