As he enters his final semester of teaching at McMurry, Professor of Political Science Dr. Paul Fabrizio reflects on 30 years at the University in a conversation with his daughter, Juliana Fabrizio ’20, McMurry’s content specialist.
“What’s in the news today?”
If you ever took one of Dr. Paul Fabrizio’s political science classes at McMurry, you heard this question at the start of every class. He moved around the room, inviting students to share a piece of news they encountered — local, state, national, or even seemingly irrelevant information.
He spent his mornings reading and watching news in preparation for the day. My brother, Robert, and I knew that routine well, with NPR playing as our dad drove us to school.
The question of what was in the news was simple enough, but given that my dad taught during some of the most technologically advanced, internationally connected, and politically fraught years in American history, the answers were often complicated. He recalls teaching students through some of the most uncertain moments in their lives — the Sept. 11 terror attacks and the war in Iraq that followed, the 2008 economic recession, the election of President Donald Trump, the pandemic, and much more.
“I realized very quickly that the secret to successfully getting students to know about the government was focusing on motivation,” Fabrizio said. “When I could get students motivated, the rest of teaching was a breeze. Following the storylines, like what the president or congress is doing, is interesting enough to most students.”
That motivation worked both ways. Just as my dad motivated students, he found their knowledge and excitement motivating as well.
“Throughout my time here, there have constantly been students who just knew so much about politics and wanted to talk about it,” Fabrizio said. “When you care about something passionately, like I care about politics, and you have a student who feels the same, it’s just a blessing. So many other professors at McMurry feel that way. Most people who earn a doctorate do so because they care deeply about their subject, and the opportunity to share that with others is really cool.”
Throughout his 30 years at McMurry, my dad has worn many hats around campus — professor, dean, chair, vice president, and even acting president. He was called upon to lead during pivotal moments in the University’s history, including the renovation of Old Main.
“The summer I was acting president, a sculpture that Bill Libby had donated to McMurry went missing,” Fabrizio said. “It was found on the second floor of Old Main. We think one of the men’s social clubs put it there, but we had no idea how they did it. It was clever! I wanted to give them credit for it, but I couldn’t because they’d obviously engaged in an act of destruction.”
My dad completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Southern California, where pranks against rival school, UCLA, were common. He was excited to see that same energy on McMurry’s campus.
My dad has taught long enough for my brother and me to grow up in Abilene, graduate from McMurry, and even see the children of his former students in his classes. When I asked him what kind of legacy he hoped to leave at McMurry, his answer focused squarely on students.
“I hope that the students I’ve taught continue to be involved in political life,” he said. “We have former students who are now district attorneys, judges, law enforcement officers, and national security professionals.”
In 2024 alone, three of his former students ran for political office, two for Congress and one for the U.S. Senate. None won.
“But they ran,” Fabrizio said. “They put themselves out there. I hope they keep doing that. I hope they keep pushing.”