Field Notes on Mentorship
Paying it Forward One Rock at a Time
Story by Payton Willhite
Photos by Grant Schol
Field Notes on Mentorship
Paying it Forward One Rock at a Time
Story by Payton Willhite
Photos by Grant Schol
The most impactful lessons don’t always occur in the classroom, as some of life’s most meaningful instruction often comes from hands-on experiences. Essential to all lifelong lessons, though, is a great teacher.
Clay Morton B.S. ’01, M.S. ’03, a Fulbright College alumnus and science teacher at Fayetteville High School, understands the immense value of learning both inside and outside of the classroom.
It’s a philosophy he picked up from his former professor and lifelong mentor, Walt Manger, a professor of geology in Fulbright College for 38 years.
Manger was the first to instill this love of experiential learning in Morton, investing his time and knowledge into his students by leading them on field excursions across the state and beyond. Now, Morton is working to return the favor.
After hearing about Manger’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, Morton set up monthly meetings to talk about life, geology and what it means to be a teacher to help preserve and pay forward Manger’s legacy.
A Different Approach to Learning
There were times when a young Clay Morton thought college wasn’t for him, but one professor’s investment in his life changed everything.
After working odd jobs for several years following high school, Morton decided to pursue a degree in education. Though he found it challenging, a required science credit led him to a geology course taught by the enigmatic Dr. Walt Manger – and to his true passion.
“I always loved rocks,” Morton said, “and he was just enthusiastic, you know? I was interested in the content anyway, but his enthusiasm pushed it over the edge.”The initial geology course hooked Morton, who soon signed up for an experiential learning opportunity within what is now the Department of Geosciences.
“I believe that doing field work, as a geology student, is extremely important,” he said. “You can only learn so much by looking at rock samples in the classroom lab.”
“The saying goes that the best geologist is the one who has seen the most, and that is a saying for a reason,” he added. “We work hard all day, and then, after dinner, when the material has marinated in our minds, questions start coming up and discussions start happening, and learning occurs, authentically.” Manger was central to these experiences, creating an environment in which his students could foster confidence and camaraderie. Each spring, he led a field-experience course, spending the first nine weeks teaching about the geology of a certain location. Then, the entire class would travel to the location and spend spring break there in the field.
“We stayed in the Bahamian Field Station -— an old U.S. top secret military base that was used during the Cold War,” Morton said. “We would snorkel and do field work all day, attend lectures and discussions in the evenings, then go to the beach and local restaurants.” “It was a truly wonderful experience,” he added.
Morton’s journey from student to teacher: pictured with mentor Dr. Walt Manger (top), and documenting field work (center) at sites like Ponca on the Buffalo River (map, bottom)—where students don’t just learn about rock formations, they experience them firsthand.
Continued Influence
During Morton’s senior year, Manger helped facilitate the next step in his professional career.
“One of [Walt’s] former students, who was a geologist, worked at a company called Southwestern Energy, and they were looking for interns,” he said. “Manger said they wanted to interview three people, and he’s like, you’re the guy.”
After recommending Morton for the position, Manger guided him through the entire interview process, from proper attire to handshake technique. Morton went on to work for the company, eventually becoming colleagues with his former professor, who served as a part-time consultant. While Morton soon realized a career in the petroleum industry wasn’t his calling, he said he still spent a lot of time with Manger “going on field trips and talking about geology.” “It was so interesting for my professor to then become a colleague,” he said. Later, when Morton decided to transition into education, Manger offered his unwavering support once again.
Preserving a Legacy
After losing contact for a few years due to life circumstances, Morton reconnected with his mentor after learning about Manger’s health challenges.
“Life gets busy, and we kind of fell out of touch a little bit,” he said. “He’s the quintessential absent-minded professor, not very good at responding to emails. Then I heard he had some health problems, and in my mind, when people hear that Manger’s ill, everybody is going to want to reach out.”
“I didn’t want to be flooding him, but I was going to be teaching geology here, and I was interested in scanning his slides,” he added. “[Manger], said ‘I’ll do you one better – I’ll give them to you.’”
Manger, one of Arkansas’s foremost geology experts, led various classes within what is now the Department of Geosciences until his retirement as a professor emeritus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Morton feared that between retirement and Manger’s declining health, his mentor’s vast knowledge might be lost.
Their regular meetings began soon after, sharing coffee and conversations about life and learning. Manger’s extensive collection of slides, documenting geological findings throughout his career, provided a natural starting point for their discussions.
“Sitting there, talking to him, you would never know he had dementia because he could hit all the geology stuff,” Morton said. “Now, over the last four months or so, he can’t really say much about geology, but we talk in depth about teaching.”
As they continue to bond over their shared dedication to education, Morton, now a mentor himself, finds himself following even further in his former professor’s footsteps. Morton leads field experience opportunities for his high school students, recalling the impact these excursions had on his educational journey.
“I think field trips are so important, especially in high school,” he said. “This is where the real learning occurs, where the knowledge that is gained in the classroom gets applied.”
Morton attributes his teaching style to Manger’s influence, along with his commitment to creating a classroom environment that balances academic excellence with enjoyment while nurturing each student’s confidence in their ability to succeed.
“When [Walt and I] are walking in, even now, he’ll still put his arm around me. He’s like, ‘You and me, we’re a team.’ I love being a team with Walt.”
Morton’s geology classroom at Fayetteville High School, where he was named Teacher of the Year for 2025, is an outward representation of all that makes alumnus Clay Morton who he is: a mixture of rock specimens, conservation campaign slogans, scientific charts, and personal memorabilia all meld together to form a mosaic that shows who he is as an educator and person.