SUN CITY – For former Northern Illinois University professor and Del Webb resident Daniel Wit, the classroom continues far beyond the limits of the campus.
Wit, whose complex career has led him across the nation and overseas, is known for both his achievements at NIU and his published works. However, even before his 30-year career at NIU, Wit was on the fast track.
Across the nation, over seas, and on campus. No matter the arena, Wit really gives meaning to ‘The world is his oyster,’ as his experi- ence has taken him around the globe. (Photo by Chris LaPelusa/Sun Day)
While working as an international management consultant in Washington D.C. in 1960, Wit was pursued by NIU faculty to interview for a position in The Political Science Department.
“I had taught at a number of major political science departments, including Ohio State and the University of Michigan, so I had a lot of background,” Wit said. “I decided to join NIU in 1961 as a professor of political science and the founding head of the Political Science Department.”
From there, Wit’s political passion paved the way toward success. He became the director and dean of International and Special Programs, which was a new division of the university. However, Wit didn’t limit himself to domestic endeavors.
“While I was head of the political science department, I was also the co-founder of the Centers for Southeast Asian Studies, which became one of the top in the United States,” he said.
Wit’s experience with Asian culture stemmed from his time living in Thailand. He and his wife and daughter moved there as part of an American foreign aid program to help upgrade the Thai civil service.
“We lived in Thailand for two years, and it was very dramatic. The first year was like living in a Hollywood movie set because our group was attached to the prime minister’s office, and we went to all sorts of glamorous parties and receptions,” Wit said. “It was a very unusual experience and great for cross-cultural study.”
Wit’s experience in the global political domain is not limited to his trips to Thailand. Not only did he study at the University of Paris on a scholarship from France at the end of World War II, but he also traveled across other parts of the globe for business endeavors.
“I gave international lectures in China, Russia, Belgium, and Italy. That was a fun experience,” he said.
While his worldliness was certainly useful during his career at NIU, it also aided his work as an author. Wit has published seven books, many of which deal with international activity.
“I wanted to express myself, and I was heavily involved with the outside world, so I felt I had something to contribute,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed writing because it’s intellectually stimulating.”
For Wit, this love of literature and faraway lands started early.
“At a young age I was fascinated by history. I used to go to the public library in New York, where I grew up and read about history. That became my initial entree into the social sciences,” he said.
Wit’s fascination seems unending. To this day, although he is retired, Wit continues to write. He is working on new editions of his latest books, “That Reminds Me” and “The Global Jungle.”
On his down time?
“My wife and I spend part of the year in California, but other than that,” Wit said, alluding to important duties back home, “I have four great-grandchildren. So we get a lot of family activity when we’re up here.”
