Slain professor remembered on campus

GOSHEN, Ind. (WANE) - Police say someone broke into Dr. Jim Miller and his wife Linda’s home and attacked them . Jim died at the scene and Linda was rushed to the hospital.

Jim Miller was a professor of Biology at Goshen College . Monday, students and fellow teachers were trying to cope with his loss. Ryan Sensenig, Chair of the Biological Sciences Department, was the one to sit in on Miller’s classes.

“We cried, we shared stories, we sat in silence and we tried to commit to just being there,” he said. “It doesn't seem real. The more we chat with students and faculty and others, it becomes a reality that a friend, colleague, and mentor is missing.”

Sensenig said Miller was known all over campus as one of the toughest teachers, but also one of the most caring.

“He was probably one of the folks in our department who knew all of the students by name whether he had them in class or not and spent extra attention to greet them in the hall,” Sensenig said.

A poster filled with pictures, a small vase of flowers, and an easel set up as a message board is sitting in the Science Annex on campus. Students stopped to write messages to their former professor and thank him for all of the lessons he taught them.

Goshen College President Dr. Jim Brenneman said he knew classes would be tough for everyone Monday, but there was a good reason why they weren’t canceled.

“We wanted everyone to attend class because they would find connections with fellow students and professors who love and care for them. We provided opportunities for the whole campus for counseling,” he said.

“Seeing Jim through our students' eyes has helped all of us rethinking how we think about teaching and how we think about this profession,” said Sensenig.

Meanwhile, the college has the difficult task of finding a replacement and the police continue their investigation. Officers report no suspects or arrests in the case. Linda is expected to recover from the attack.