Borrowed calculator adds up to love

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Robert and Susan Pearson in 1980.

Susan Greuber was in electromagnetic fields theory class in the summer of 1980 when she needed to borrow a scientific calculator. Her roommate’s Great Dane had taken a bite out of her own.

She asked classmate Robert Pearson if she could use his. “I wasn’t going to say no,” said Robert about the request from one of only two women enrolled in his electrical engineering cohort of about 90 students. “I looked at hers and it appeared that a bear had chewed on it.”

Thirty-four years later, the Pearsons are still together and RIT continues to be a part of their lives.

Susan ’82 (electrical engineering) came to RIT after studying at Corning Community College for two years. A professor there was an RIT graduate and suggested that she and three other classmates transfer to finish their education.

The Odessa, N.Y., native was able to get a full-time job working in the electrical engineering technology department calibrating lab equipment and attended school part time.

Robert ’81, ’86 (electrical engineering) grew up in Henrietta and his father, Milton ’64 (photographic science and instrumentation), worked at RIT in photographic science and instrumentation, what today is called imaging science.

Although the calculator introduced them, the couple didn’t start dating until after the quarter ended. Their first outing was a trip with other classmates to Red Creek (now MacGregor’s) to celebrate the end of finals.

They were married in the fall of 1982.

After graduating, Robert worked in electrical engineering in Maine for one year before being offered a teaching job at RIT. He is now the director of microelectronic engineering programs at RIT.

Susan worked in the field for a company in Victor, N.Y., until their first son, Hazen, was born in 1985. They have two other sons, Benson and Roger. (Benson graduated from RIT in 2012 with a degree in film and animation.) Susan now works at Pinnacle Lutheran School in Henrietta.

Susan said she doesn’t get to campus much these days even though they live close by. But Robert keeps a reminder of her time at RIT. A few years ago he found a calibration sticker initialed by his wife on an old power supply. He keeps the power supply with the sticker in a display case outside his office.

Susan also keeps a memento of their early days together. Robert gave her a new scientific calculator their first Christmas together.

“I still have the calculator,” she said. “And I still use it.”

About Tiger Love

There are more than 4,600 RIT alumni couples. If you have a suggestion of a couple to feature, email us at umag@rit.edu.

Robert and Susan Pearson met in 1980 after Susan borrowed his calculator. Robert gave her a new calculator, pictured above, the following Christmas. A. Sue Weisler