PAC Bereavement Notice

Dr. Theresa Arburn, retired PAC Professor of Biology and Lead Instructor for Human Anatomy and Physiology, has passed away. Details regarding funeral service and interment will be announced once arrangements are completed.

From “On Campus” February 2005 issue:

Arburn graduated from Moye High School in Castroville. She began her teaching career as a Catholic nun teaching life science at St. Anthony’s in San Antonio while earning her Bachelor’s degree at Our Lady of the Lake University. She also taught at St. Benedict’s in Houston for a year before leaving the Convent and returning to San Antonio.

She taught biology at Memorial High School in Edgewood ISD and East Central High School until 1978. She earned her master’s from the University of Texas at San Antonio while teaching at East Central. She tried another career field as a sales representative for Sentry Insurance for 10 years, but discovered she missed the classroom and joined Palo Alto’s faculty ranks in 1990.

While teaching at Palo Alto, she also spent a year as an Adjunct Pathology and Pathophysiology instructor in the Physician Assistant Program at the UT Health Science Center—San Antonio.

“One of the reasons I enjoy teaching is that I am able to take a difficult subject matter and make it meaningful and understandable to the students,” Auburn said.

Auburn was nominated four times to Who’s Who Among American College Teachers. She has served as a Department Chairperson and as the Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences. Arburn began pursuing a doctoral degree in Science Education from the University of Texas at Austin in 1995 and received it in 1998. She became a life member of Kappa Delta Pi and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies.