LaMaster's students showed impeccable style for Halloween 2024

Whenever John LaMaster teaches a class on Halloween, the senior instructor in Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Department of Mathematical Sciences tells his students he’ll award extra credit if they wear a costume. Most do, and often so does their teacher. One year, LaMaster, B.A. ’86, MS ’91, dressed as Obi-Wan Kenobi and spouted Star Wars references as he was challenged to an after-class lightsaber battle by student Kadyn Mueller, who dressed as Anakin Skywalker.

Last year, six students took the option a bit further. Scrambling over two days to visit various thrift shops and collect just the right items, they were uniquely dressed for their 9 a.m. class. Their choices drew grins and understanding nods of encouragement from classmates.

A few minutes later as his students were taking a quiz, LaMaster walked up to Bennet Ripplinger’s desk, noting his sweater and glasses, and said, “I’m sorry Bennet, but I don’t get your costume.”

With a smile, Ripplinger replied, “I’m you,” and the reality hit LaMaster, who looked around to also see Jon Pickett, John Murphy, Chase Ratcliff, Nadia Tovar, and Jacob Goldberg wearing similar outfits. Pickett had even brought along a banana, as LaMaster is known for handing out a “Top Banana Award” to the student who earns the high score.

“Oh, my gosh, you’re dressed like me—and you’re dressed like me!” LaMaster said as he scanned the room. “I’m honored. Now I know what I look like when I was 20.”

Saying no one had ever dressed up like him, LaMaster needed a few seconds to solve the mystery. Still enjoying the moment at the end of the session, he posed for group pictures beaming under his rhinoceros hat. The rhinoceros is LaMaster’s spirit animal in teaching because as he says, once a rhinoceros gains momentum, they are unstoppable, just like he wants the students to feel.

One of PFW’s most popular instructors, LaMaster classes have a reputation for being fun, energetic, and interesting, such as when he tosses candy for correct answers. The student group responsible for last Halloween’s surprise said they knew he’d appreciate their efforts. Ratcliff came up with the original idea and had an easy time convincing his coconspirators, who are all engineering majors.

“He’s just such a great teacher that I’m surprised, especially with the impact he’s had on a lot of students, that no one had dressed up as him before,” Ratcliff said. “He’s wearing the same kind of outfit every day.”

One example of LaMaster’s unconventional style is evident on the first day of class when he asks the students to call him John, not professor. That degree of familiarity can make a few feel awkward, and they’ve resorted to “Mr. John” instead.

“He means a lot to his students,” Goldberg said. “I think it was about us showing him that we like and respect him. He just makes it easy to learn in his class because he breaks stuff down more thoroughly than other professors and makes it fun.”

Pickett has taken three classes with LaMaster, and Ratcliff, Ripplinger, and Goldberg have each taken two. Each stressed that the costumes were a show of their appreciation.

“It was kind of an acknowledgement that we’re listening to you teach, and it has an impact on us,” Ripplinger said. “I think little things like dressing up as your professor is just a good way to show that you care for them.”