Final Communications: My Intent to Retire Letter & Goodbye to Colleagues Email

A few weeks ago, I drafted my official resignation letter. My college needed a letter stating my intent to retire and my last day. Beyond that, it’s customary to include a “thank you for the opportunity” segment. Originally, I was going to just stick with the basics, but I had some thoughts about how I could share my “thank you” in an authentic, creative way. 

I wanted to be truthful and positive. Those of you who read this blog know that I am leaving at least in part because of the frustration I’ve had at my college. However, I have been thinking of the positive opportunities I’ve had over the years, so it was pretty easy to come up with this (real names deleted):

To Dean AB and Human Resources,

I am writing to inform you that I will be retiring from Heartland Community College this semester. My last contract day is Friday, May 16^th, so that will be my last day of employment.

As excited I am to begin my retirement, I recall being just as excited to teach a Children’s Literature class at Heartland Community College as an internship for my master’s degree in Spring 2001. Dr. TC created this opportunity for me, and Heartland started giving me the gift that has enabled me to grow tremendously over the next 2+ decades: classrooms of students.

Over the years, I have taught over 200 classes and have learned from each one. I have met amazing students and worked with creative colleagues. I have used many strategies to problem solve typical issues for college classrooms. I have attended conferences that have done nothing short of change my life.

Though I am technically retiring from Heartland, I feel like I am graduating. I am taking all the experiences I have gained while serving the college and applying those skills outside of the classroom.

The relationships I have developed with colleagues, administrators and staff will surely keep me connected to the Heartland community, and I look forward to discovering how our paths will cross in the future. 

Sincerely,

Julie

My dean asked if I wanted a retirement party, and I didn’t. As the college has grown, I have less and less interaction with all but a few staff, many colleagues have retired before me, and I have had real struggles with about 1/3 to 1/2 my English teacher colleagues. I decided that I’d say goodbye to faculty and staff individually. Last minute, though, I decided to also send an email to the group. I hope my colleagues received it in a positive way. Here’s that email:

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C, D, M, R, J, C, J, J, A, S, Z, and T,

Some of you know, and now all of you will know . . . I am retiring at the end of this semester. I hope to be retiring from full-time work and possibly come back to adjunct, tutor or interact with students in some way. I will be back on campus to knit, so I will see some of you in the halls.I wanted to tell you that what I will miss and what I have missed these last years is my feeling of connection to the Writing Program and thus, all of you. Beyond teaching, some of my best memories at HCC were of us working together on redesigning classes, attempting to decrease class sizes, and creating a writing center. Heck, I even enjoyed communal grading (at times) with all of you.Y’all have also helped me grow over these years—sometimes when I wanted to and many times when I didn’t. It was all important growth, though, which I hope can benefit other organizations I work for or volunteer for in the future.

My first post-retirement endeavor is to do some work for Prairie School. Once y’all have grandkids, or great grandkids, T, send them there.

Thanks for reading,

Julie

I received some “congratuations” notes and some people have said “congratulations” in the hallway. I appreciate the sentiment, and the short communication shows me how disconnected I already am from most of my colleagues. As is referenced in the email, I had told some people in person and those conversations were more meaningful.
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As I re-read these pieces of communication, I am realizing I must have a desire to assure people that I will still be around. I think that in that is my desire to assure myself that I can still be connected to at least some of the people at Heartland. I’m not sure how that will actually play out, and I know that is something I am potentially giving up to become more connected to other people and to be able to have more control over my time. It still makes me sad though.

Peace Out (and In),

Julie

Pictures are from a 4/27/25 hike at Allerton Park in Monticello, IL.