The jar of chocolates on Sonya Lawyer’s desk was always full – just in case her next-door neighbor, notorious for his sweet tooth, stopped by. She soon grew familiar with the mischievous chuckle of Deric Greene, who often visited her office in search of a Snickers or Twix bar.

“I miss his eyes,” Lawyer said of the communication professor. “He had the warmest eyes, they were just very kind.”

Greene passed at the age of 58 on Feb. 22, 2026, after a years-long battle with cancer; his absence has been felt across the Stevenson community.

A shrine to his career and life has been erected outside his office in the Zaffere Library. Flowers adorn a small table to the left of the door, and hand-written notes from students festoon a sign featuring Greene’s photo. In the picture, he’s wearing his doctoral regalia from Howard University.

“Our offices are right next door to each other, so I’m waiting for him to just giggle in his office. I just miss his giggle,” Lawyer said.

For many on campus, Greene was more than a professor. He was a mentor, a friend and even a brother. He was heavily involved in Greek life, as he himself was a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity while he attended Howard University, where he earned his doctorate in communication.

At Stevenson, Greene had a lasting influence on his younger brothers in Phi Beta Sigma.

“He was the first big brother I met on campus,” second-year Tanveer Singh said. “That meant a lot to me because not only did I know that I wasn’t alone on this campus, but I had support from someone who was well-established.”

Greene’s connection with Phi Beta Sigma members such as Singh reflected the passion he had for Stevenson’s chapter.

“He told me, no matter what, embrace brothers. He taught me that you have to put sacrifices in to make sure not only you grow as an individual, but your chapter does,” Singh said.

Greene also bonded with Lawyer over their shared alma mater and involvement in Greek life, as Lawyer is a member of Delta Sigma Theta.

“He was always teasing me about some homecoming at Howard where the Deltas were stepping,” Lawyer said. “And he would always try to step as he would tell the story, and just watching Dr. Greene try to step always makes me giggle.”

Over the course of his 22 years at Stevenson, Greene built a reputation not only for his fun, light-hearted demeanor, but for his thoughtful discussions in the classroom that fostered spaces rooted in acceptance and inclusion.

“He could truly resonate with each person in the room,” second-year communication major Malachi Fields said. “Everybody was given a chance to express themselves, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation.”

Teaching a broad range of communication courses from Public Speaking to Intercultural Communication allowed Greene to leave a mark in each classroom.

He challenged students to think critically about the perspectives of others, inspecting their own biases before entering a conversation.

“Be vulnerable. He instilled that in me. If you come in with a certain mindset or prejudice, you’re not communicating at that point,” Singh said. “Being vulnerable is understanding someone and their situation, but also being able to share yourself in the same light and not hold back. That’s true communication.”

Even while battling cancer, Greene remained determined to teach. He took off the Fall 2025 semester to recover, but insisted on coming back for the spring semester.

“Seeing everything he was dealing with while still fighting to be part of the community was something I will never forget,” Fields said.

Dean of the School of Design, Arts and Communication Amanda Hostalka along with the rest of the department offered support throughout Greene’s illness and encouraged him to step back when needed, although Greene was still adamant about continuing.

“This is where he wanted to be,” Hostalka said. “He was intent on coming back for the spring semester.”

In one of their final conversations, Hostalka reassured Greene that his classes were covered and that the community was sending their love and support.

“He said, ‘I feel it. I really feel it,’” Hostalka said. “It gave me a sense that he was okay, that he knew his students were going to be okay. He had really bonded with them.”

Leeanne M. Bell McManus, a professor in the communications department, met Greene in 2007 when she interviewed for a position.

“We talked about the field of communication,” Bell said. “Two hours later, I looked at my watch, and it felt like two minutes.”

She described Deric as someone who was always present and thoughtful in his interactions.

“He didn’t have to be the center of attention,” Bell said. “He wanted to listen before responding.”

Beyond lectures and meetings, Greene’s personality radiated through the classroom. A devoted fan of comics and superheroes, he frequently incorporated those stories into his lessons to help students better understand communication concepts.

“He loved his superheroes and infiltrated them into his class. It was a way for his students to get to know him on a personal level,” communication student Dominic Harrington said.

Colleagues say Greene’s dedication to communication extended far beyond academic theory.

“There’s only one way I want Deric to be remembered,” Bell said. “As a kind, compassionate human who loved the field of communication and wanted to teach it in a way that allowed students to be successful in life.”

Deric Greene was born on July 5, 1967, in Newport News, Virginia. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from James Madison University, a master’s degree from Norfolk State University, and a Ph.D. from Howard University.

Before joining Stevenson University, Greene taught at Fort Valley State University in Georgia, and Johnson C. Smith University and East Carolina University, both in North Carolina

He later spent more than two decades teaching at Stevenson while also serving as an adjunct professor at Morehouse College, Trinity University, and Prince George’s Community College.

Deric’s community gathered on Friday, March 7 at St. John Church of God in Christ in Newport News, Virginia.

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“We love and will miss you Dr. Deric Greene. He wanted to be Superman as a kid, and to his students, he was. Thank you, Deric Greene, descansa en paz leyenda verde.” – Communication student Michael Rosa

This story was originally published on Stevenson Villager on March 26, 2026.