Darrell graduated from Rowlesburg High School in 1962 and entered West Virginia University (WVU) that fall. From WVU, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and Master of Science in Forestry in 1966 and 1968 respectively. Darrell’s first job out of college was that of a forester, assisting landowners in the cooperative forest management program of the State of Delaware. After less than a year in Delaware, Darrell started teaching in the forest technology program at Glenville State College (GSC) in 1969, the second year of the program. During his tenure at GSC, Darrell was a primary founder of the land surveying technology program at GSC. The first class of land surveying technology students enrolled in the program during the school year 1972-73. Darrell entered graduate school at Purdue University to pursue a Ph.D. in surveying and mapping in the fall of 1973. After 3 years of study at Purdue, Darrell returned to GSC for the 1976-77 school-year. After which, he then joined the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at WVU for the fall 1977 semester. Darrell earned the Ph.D. degree from Purdue University in 1979. Darrell’s career of teaching surveying and mapping, as well as forestry courses, has spanned a period of over 38 years. Darrell retired from WVU as an Associate Professor Emeritus on December 31, 2010.