Dr. Jaime N. Delgado, a University Distinguished Teaching Professor whose 42-year career in the College of Pharmacy at The University of Texas at Austin gave him the longest tenure of any living pharmacy faculty member, died Oct. 5.

Delgado, the Servier Regents Professor in the College of Pharmacy, became a professor emeritus on Aug. 31. Until that time, he taught several pharmacy courses that are required of every undergraduate pharmacy major.

Delgado

He supervised 14 Ph.D. students over the years. Widely recognized for his contributions to medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical education, Delgado never lost sight of the importance of teaching. It is estimated he taught more than 6,000 pharmacy students in required and elective pharmacy courses during his career at the university.

Despite his new emeritus status, he was still teaching a freshman seminar elective this fall. After winning one of his numerous teaching awards from the university in 1982, Delgado explained his teaching philosophy. "You have to make a course dynamic to keep (students) interested," he said. "When a teacher loses his enthusiasm, he loses the ability to be an effective teacher."

Dr. Steven W. Leslie, dean of the College of Pharmacy, said Delgado was widely admired.

"Dr. Delgado had a distinguished and illustrious career, and he was a mentor and role model to many of us during his faculty tenure of 42 years," Leslie said. "We have admired his wisdom, leadership, scholarly activity and international stature. As both an alumnus of our college and a faculty member, he was truly dedicated to his profession and to this college.

"Dr. Delgado loved our students, and he loved to teach. He understood that his destiny in life was to be an educator, and he was outstanding."

His honors and awards include being named a member of the Academy of Distinguished Teachers in 1997, recognition five times as a recipient of the Texas Excellence Teaching Award and recent recognition with both the Pharmacy Alumni Association's William J. Sheffield Outstanding Alumnus Award and the Legend of Pharmacy Award. He was selected as the outstanding professor by the University of Texas Mexican American Health Professions Organization in 1995.

Delgado is survived by his wife, Celia Delgado of Austin, and a daughter, Dr. Celyna Delgado of San Antonio.