Peter C. Rollins graduated from Harvard University and was commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served three years, including duty in Vietnam. In 1966 Peter returned to Harvard to pursue a doctorate in the History of American Civilization, which he received in 1972. Following graduation from Harvard, Peter accepted a position in the English Department at Oklahoma State University that also included editing the works of Will Rogers. Peter helped revamp the English Department curriculum to include more emphasis on film, including courses on film as literature and art form and film and culture. He was the first individual in the English Department to be recognized as a Regents Professor, a status he retained from 1982 until his retirement in 2006. Rollins passed away on March 23, 2015. In this oral history interview excerpt from the O-STATE Stories oral history collection, Dr. Rollins talks about his path to Oklahoma State University. For more, visit the
Oklahoma Oral History Research Program at the OSU Library.
