Remembering Dr. Patrick Comstock
It is with heavy hearts that we share that our beloved colleague, friend, and professor, Dr. Patrick Comstock passed away last week. Our community is devastated by this loss. Patrick was one of the most compassionate, thoughtful and reflective people we've known.
He touched the lives of many students and colleagues through his work at Relay. As a beloved Assistant Professor, he taught both general pedagogy and English Language Arts (ELA) content to hundreds of Relay students. He served his colleagues and Relay's adjunct faculty as a Content Lead of ELA programming and instruction. He also led Aperio: The Relay Research Collaborative for many years, inviting faculty to share their research and scholarship with each other. We are grateful for his unique contributions to our organization and the student experience he provided so many of our teachers.
Maya Angelou said, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." So many of us – colleagues and students alike – have been reflecting on that exact sentiment as it relates to Patrick. Whenever we were in his presence, something in the air shifted; things became more at ease, calm and peaceful; he made people feel seen, valued, and connected.
Patrick shared his love for learning and scholarship generously with his students and colleagues. His classroom at Relay inspired deep thought and a feeling of warmth and welcome. He believed deeply in the power of asking questions to better understand, empowering students to build knowledge in community, and encouraging new teachers to find their own voice. He truly loved teaching and fully loved his students and colleagues; the feeling is entirely mutual.
We are incredibly grateful to have known and learned from Patrick. Our lives are richer, more beautiful, and more full because of Patrick. He will be dearly missed, and his legacy will live on.
