Schön Mr. Schieber

With his dedication, wit and humor, department chair and French and German instructor Richard Schieber has been an inspiring force in the language careers of many Exonians.“He is one of the smartest, funniest and most diligent people I know, but is extremely modest about his accomplishments. I am fond of his collaborative, no-nonsense approach to teaching and his understated sense of humor,” French instructor Katherine Fair said.Schieber came to Exeter after living in France, Germany and America, experiences which he often recounts during his classes. He grew up in a small village in the east of France, where he spoke a regional dialect before beginning to learn French in the first grade. Not long after, his family moved across the river to Germany and he began to study German instead.“There was a time in my life when I didn’t really speak any language correctly. That’s why I guess I wanted to become an international student,” Schieber said.After becoming inspired by his French teacher in ninth grade, Schieber became interested in the study of languages, especially French literature, later teaching at a university. He also served in the German army, where he served as an interpreter due to his knowledge of French and English. Schieber later came to the U.S. to study at the University of Alabama.“I never planned to come to America, but my friend’s dad was a dean at U of Alabama and they were looking for exchange students, so I just took the opportunity,” he said. “Germany to America was quite a leap, and a leap of faith in the 80s. It worked out quite well.”In another twist of serendipity, Schieber met French instructor Katherine Fair at a conference while teaching at a university and learned about the Academy.“I didn’t even know what Exeter was at the time, but I pretty much fell in love with the whole system and how the students make the difference,” he said.Schieber’s classes are known as both dynamic and deep, and are always filled with stories.“I will always remember our random conversations about German culture, whether they’re about politics or ‘asparagus season,’” upper Paige Harouse said.Upper Mirella Gruesser-Smith recounted the funny class dynamic of Schieber’s classes. “Once, Mr. Schieber, being completely well-meaning, brought up the question, ‘Was macht ein Mann einen Mann? [What makes a man a man?]’ for a while during the study of a book about family pride. It’s a completely open-ended, unanswerable question that is stereotypically German. The class tried answering it seriously for a while, but Mr. Schieber and the class ended up all making fun of ourselves trying to talk about something so big and philosophical,” Gruesser-Smith said.“Mr. Schieber has led classes through some of the most complicated German literature. He has a way of keeping the class dynamic light-hearted but also energetic when facing difficult reading,” she said. “He also tells the funniest stories about growing up within the strict German culture.”Senior Philip Decker echoed these sentiments. “He introduces the class to great literature and leads thoughtful discussions of German politics and social order. Mr. Schieber always remembers to keep us updated about current events in Germany and the European Union, and more than once has related German life to American life in surprising and engaging ways,” he said.Schieber is widely admired in his diligence and deeply personal role as department head.“As a department head, he has done an admirable job. He is approachable, well-organized and a good listener and problem-solver. We are conducting a departmental review this year, and thanks to him we have stayed on track,” Fair said.Russian instructor Inna Sysevich spoke of Schieber’s friendly nature. “He’s always friendly, patient, open-minded and willing to listen. He spends a lot of time in the department and often stops by me and my colleague’s classrooms for a minute just to say ‘hello,’” she said. “He and I are a similar age, and we both come from Europe so we have some similar experience and understanding about the old world and its mentality. It’s always interesting talking to him about politics and culture.”Outside of the classroom, Schieber can be seen serving as Main Street’s dorm head, German club advisor and even benching weights at the gym as a fitness guru.“Mr. Schieber is a great adviser. He is always available and welcoming to advisees. He gives you good support, and the annual Las O trip is always fantastic,” upper Will Edwards said.Schieber has come to love the modern languages program at Exeter. “The German department works well. We go to conferences and we see what’s out there nationally. We can pretty much do whatever we want,” he said. “I love the absolute freedom. I can choose whatever book I want, which is great,” he said.