Courtesy of Suffolk University

Suffolk community members remember Deborah Geisler for having a profound impact on everyone who had the honor of getting to know her.

Professor Deborah Geisler first came to Suffolk University in 1984 and left an impact of generosity, humor and resilience for the students and faculty she worked alongside and taught for nearly 40 years.

Geisler died March 23 at the age of 66. She is survived by her husband Michael Benveniste and two siblings.

A graduate of Ohio University and Southern Illinois University, Geisler harbored a passion for journalism and communication. Above all, though, Geisler’s heart lay with her students.

“She just was inspiring, compassionate, a true educator and she always made us laugh along the way,” said Nick Edwards, a 2020 Suffolk graduate.

For Practitioner-in-Residence and Suffolk Journal adviser Charles St. Amand, who had Geisler in her first semester at Suffolk and went on to work alongside her, Geisler’s grit and passion for journalism education have made a lasting impact.

“She was the cool teacher,” said St. Amand, adding that Geisler would often “hold court” in her office, creating a welcoming environment for communication students across campus.

Every year, said St. Amand, Geisler would give her students in Copy Editing, now known as CJN-317, a 50-question test on the first day of class. St. Amand took the test himself and later went on to give the same one to students when he began teaching part-time in the fall of 2000. Throughout his career at Suffolk, Geisler went from a teacher to a colleague, and finally, a friend.

“She cared about her colleagues just as much as her students,” said St. Amand.

Today, St. Amand uses Geisler’s test in his CJN-317 class in the form of a game show — it’s always a hit amongst students.

Geisler was known for her snark and humor, from her cherished pocket constitution to her in-class commentary. In her beloved 1980s Mazda GLC, Geisler was a vibrant presence on campus, one that worked to push her students just as much as she worked to foster their passion for journalism.

Edwards, who had a class with Geisler in the spring of 2020 at the start of the coronavirus in 2020, said her spirit was pivotal to maintaining community and morale throughout Zoom classes.

“Through the transition to virtual learning, Deb made it so all about the students. She put her students before herself, she again always found time to make us laugh. She was very, very flexible. She really was just great,” said Edwards.

Geisler was heavily involved in the Suffolk and Boston communities. At Suffolk, she was the adviser to The Suffolk Voice. Her passion for all things science fiction led her to chair Noreascon 4, the 2004 World Science Fiction Convention, along with her involvement in conventions through the years.

Shoshana Madmoni-Gerber, the chair of the department of communications and journalism, first met Geisler in 2004, when the two were office neighbors in Ridgeway. They became friends quickly, and Madmoni-Gerber said Geisler’s generosity and compassion were felt across campus.

“She was just this magnificent combination of somebody that really deeply cared about her students, deeply cared about journalism, super knowledgeable, but also so much fun,” she said. 

Madmoni-Gerber added that Geisler’s impact on the department is undeniable. Being part of the Suffolk community for decades made her a larger-than-life figure, one that continues to inspire students and faculty in all walks of life.

“[Geisler was one of the] professors that really kind of helped shape this department because of the sheer time that she was here,” said Madmoni-Gerber.

Geisler told St. Amand to pursue editing as a career and played an influential role in St. Amand securing his first internship at the Patriot Ledger. St. Amand went on to become a senior-level editor at multiple newspapers in Massachusetts and the Editor-in-Chief of The Sentinel & Enterprise in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

“I can’t imagine I’m the only one she encouraged like that,” said St. Amand.