"At any university, it's not the classes offered or the majors offered - it's the people." RO Mitchell, University of Memphis continuing education Spanish teacher, could have been describing himself with these words instead of nominating his advisor for an award in an e-mail sent in 2003.
Mitchell, 35, was found dead in his apartment on May 29. Police said he died from cardiac arrest.
"RO touched a lot of people at The University in a positive way," said Vicki Murrell of continuing education. "That's the measure of a person, isn't it?"
Friends of Mitchell are invited to attend a memorial service held Saturday, June 23, in Rooms 104 and 105 of the Panhellenic Building. Visitation with Laura and Richard Mitchell, Mitchell's parents, will begin at 1 p.m. followed by eulogies at 2 p.m.
Mitchell, born October 8, 1971 in Nashville, Tenn., attended the academic magnet school Hume-Fogg and graduated in 1991.
Mitchell first came to The University of Memphis as an engineering major in the fall of 1991. After shifting his major to English, Mitchell received his Bachelor of Arts in 1998.
As an undergraduate, Mitchell became known as an ace ping pong player in The University Center.
"RO was Forrest Gump-good at ping pong," said friend Nestor Rodriguez. "He even had a special paddle that he called 'The Bear' because it had a little panda bear on it."
Rodriguez said Mitchell was a multi-faceted person who loved philosophical debates, golf and tennis. His diverse group of friends ranged from ping pong players to chess players to anyone who spoke Spanish.
"RO knew Spanish grammar better than I did - and I'm a native speaker," she said.
Mitchell's love of languages and linguistics prompted him to continue his academic career at The University, earning a master's in English in 2001 and a master's in Spanish in 2005.
Perhaps nowhere on campus will Mitchell's loss be more deeply felt than in the small four-person office of Academic Status and Retention Services.
In 1994, what began as a 20-minute meeting with his academic advisor turned into a two-hour conversation and, ultimately, a 13-year friendship.
Bonita Lyons, director of the status and retention office, was Mitchell's advisor and friend.
"One thing about this office, we are a family," Lyons said. "Losing RO is like losing a family member for us."
Mitchell worked as both an undergraduate student worker and graduate assistant in the Academic Status and Retention Services office from 1998 to 2001.
Mitchell then attempted to sell real estate after earning his real estate license, but according to Lyons, "...his heart was in teaching."
Mitchell taught for one year at Northside High School. According to friend and former roommate Matt Holladay, he earned the nickname "Daddy RO" for his father-figure presence among the teens.
Since the summer of 2005, Mitchell worked as a Spanish teacher in continuing education. He wrote the curriculum for a developmental Spanish course for deficient students at The U of M.
"He used the ESL model for the course," Lyons said. "Students really learned in that class."
The developmental course is now in jeopardy due to staffing concerns.
"The program may have died when RO died," said Nancy Sellers of the academic status office. "He would have hated that."
The Spanish department found a graduate assistant to teach the course in Mitchell's stead during the summer but has not found a replacement for the fall.
According to Sellers, students who took Mitchell's course did well in later university level Spanish courses.
"His teaching style, method and concern for the students - that was a constant," Sellers said.
Dr. Ralph Albanese, chair of the foreign language department, said Mitchell had an ability to put students at ease, particularly when learning a foreign language.
"He was a hit with the students," Albanese said. "He was calm, always friendly and truly enjoyed teaching."
Mitchell was a master chess player, according to friend and fellow chess player Carlos Sims, of the Memphis Chess Club.
In 1990, Mitchell was the first African American to win U.S. Junior Open Champion.
At the time of his death, Mitchell was the only African American chess master residing in Memphis.
"He was a great guy and a humble guy, too," Sims said. "You would've never known that he had done all these things. He wasn't one to give his own praises."
Sims said despite Mitchell's considerable talent, he had put chess aside to concentrate on his studies and was just beginning to return to the game when he died.
"He had planned on going to the Chicago Open that weekend," he said. "I'm sure he would have had a good result."
