Many SIUC students listen to words of wisdom from a middle- aged man known as Pops.’

Lynn Goodwin, 51, dubbed as Pops by five former students, is a health education grad student from Chicago. He doesn’t have any visions of a career, but he wants to address the needs of people and serve as a mentor and life advisor for students.

There are life lessons to be taught to the youth, and it is up to the elders to teach the younger generations, Goodwin said.

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It is unfortunate that many youth of today’s generation are written off as grown-ups, when in fact we can look around and see the growing rate of AIDS, drug and alcohol addictions, teen mothers and violence. We (elders) shouldn’t be frightened to believe they are out of our range, he said.

Chris Harris, a sophomore in mechanical engineering from Carbondale, said he sees Pops as a father figure because he shares his knowledge with everyone on campus.

He is someone very positive, very down to earth and has a lot of style, Harris said. He is a role model, a public figure and works hard in the community.

The nickname Pops came from five former Saluki football players, Goodwin said.

One day after class they asked me to cook for them. I told them if they helped me move I would barbecue, Goodwin said. After we ate one of the fellows told me my cooking reminded him of his pops, and then everyone started calling me Pops’.

After graduating from high school, Goodwin joined the army for a six-year tour of active duty.

I had never lived outside Chicago before joining the military, Goodwin said. The exposure from the military opened my head up to broaden my world view, expand my vision, tone my philosophy and helped develop a greater appreciation for people and their cultures.

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Goodwin said he has lived in Colorado Springs, Colo.; Paris; San Francisco; Berlin, Germany; New York City; Lawton, Okla.; and Providence, R.I.

While he was still in the military, Goodwin said he began his college career. He attended Free University in Berlin, San Francisco State

see POPS, page 6