W. O. "Doc" Farber devoted his life to teaching, challenging his students, and improving government at the local, state, national, and international levels. Born and raised in Illinois, he came to USD in 1935, served as chairman of the Department of Political Science from 1938 to 1976, with intervening World War Two duty, and spent his remaining 31 years mentoring students, advising department graduates, and reforming government. Reflecting on his career, he said that he and his former students had tried to leave the world a better place than they found it and would keep trying.