Dr. Irwin Tankersley Retires after 47 years with Fogelman

Dr. Irwin Tankersley, associate professor in the school of accountancy, has spent many years teaching undergraduate Business Law and Legal, Social and Political Environment of Business courses, plus many other courses tied to business law. He plans to retire after 47 years.

When Tankersley was hired in 1973, law courses were offered in the department of finance at Fogelman. "Tank" as he is affectionately known as by many students and faculty had always planned to be a lawyer. However, when he was recruited to become a professor, he knew he had found a home at Fogelman.

During his tenure, the Vietnam veteran found the most challenging time in his higher education career in the spring of 2020 transitioning to virtual, and the oddest event when streaking was a fad. As a side note, the then Memphis State was highly ranked as a streaking school.

Tankersley mostly enjoyed the people and has stayed in touch with folks who were his students many years ago. Would he teach again? Absolutely, and he can't imagine doing anything else.

Tankersley and his wife Pat have been married for forty-three years. As he describes their first meeting, "We met at my first job, right out of law school. She was a social worker. A number of folks have observed how appropriate that is. They suspect
that I was her primary reclamation project."

As for moving ahead, Tankersley commented, "... as trite as it might sound, I'd like to do as much as I can for others. God has blessed me far beyond any merit on my part. I have so much, and there are those who have so little. I'd like to help somehow."