Richard Phillips, a professor of wildlife biology at Wittenberg University, has a thing for crows. He’s been tracking them for years. He knows firsthand that Midwestern crows can be grumpy, willful, and certainly uncooperative at times. But it’s important to monitor these glossy, bossy black birds—to monitor all birds in fact—because their well-being can tell us a lot about the health of the planet.
Phillips shared his insights about the birds during the recent 2026 Opening Convocation at Wittenberg University, welcoming the incoming class of 2030 with a talk titled “Counting Crows.” The Convocation kicks off the beginning of the academic year by welcoming new students, introducing student leaders, and recognizing faculty promotions and tenure. The heart of the gathering, however, had to do with encouraging students to seek real engagement in their classes, as well as authentic experiences outside the classroom. For Phillips, that means genus Corvus.
“You see, I’m really into counting crows,” Phillips said during the recent Opening Convocation welcoming the class of 2030. “How many crows are there?”
Too many to count, he acknowledged. Still, he tries because crows are one of his deep interests. And college, he added, is the perfect time for students to discover their interests as well.
“Numbers are important to your time at Wittenberg…they can track your progress,” he said. But what’s just as important is to immerse oneself in new experiences, to stretch, to make time for deep engagement and transformative learning, said Phillips, who has a B.A. in Biology from Emory University and a M.S. and Ph.D. from Texas Tech University in Wildlife Science.
He and his students study birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians at a number of field sites in Mississippi, Michigan, and Ohio. Here in Clark County, they’re also tracking the presence of spotted turtles and Kirtland’s snakes. Phillips received the Alumni Association Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2026.
“Find your own passion,” he advised. “It never gets easier or more convenient than it is right now. You have to make time for engagement. Get a little comfortable with being uncomfortable. Imagine your proverbial crow waits in the next classroom.”
