Dr. Thomas Waldschmidt has retired from the University of Iowa Department of Pathology after almost 40 years with the Department, 35+ years as a faculty member.  He has been appointed Professor Emeritus of Pathology. He did his undergraduate training at Marquette University before obtaining his PhD in the laboratory of Dr. Ellen Vitetta at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He then moved to the University of Iowa for a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Richard Lynch. Dr. Waldschmidt joined the faculty in 1988, rising up through the ranks to Professor in 1997. He was appointed the Clement T and Sylvia H Hanson Family Professor in Immunology in 2008 and has served as the Vice Chair for Research for 20 years. Many current and former faculty within the department and the university will fondly recall his role in helping them establish their own independent research laboratories and assisting in their career development. Similarly, Dr. Waldschmidt has been a strong advocate for graduate training on campus and served as the Director of the Pathology MS graduate program and Experimental Pathology PhD program.  He was critical to the establishment of the Experimental Pathology PhD and aided in the establishment and organization of the Interdisciplinary Immunology PhD Graduate Program. As a highly skilled educator, his service as course director as well as his lectures in immunology, pathology, and pathogenesis have greatly assisted in the training of an innumerable number of trainees. His research in B cell germinal center reactions in autoimmunity and after viral infections or immunization, development of nanoparticle vaccines against respiratory viruses, and how chronic alcohol alters innate and adaptative immunity have significantly impacted our knowledge in these areas as well as the studies of many others within the department, university and the larger international immunology community. While Dr. Waldschmidt directly mentored 19 graduate students and postdocs in his laboratory, many of whom have gone on to independent academic faculty positions and director positions within industry, he additionally mentored countless other trainees during his time within the department.  In retirement, he plans to focus on other activities, particularly travel and spending time with his family and grandkids.