"He was a comet. I grabbed onto its tail in 1979 and never let go.

We lived together in Phoenix, in London, in Northampton and Boston, Mass., and then in Los Angeles, where he was born, and we traveled everywhere together.
Bill was a complicated person. I think Paul Schneider could see it — calling him “gently aggressive.” It was indeed how he accomplished so much, and not just at Boston University. And in his earlier years, he wasn’t always so gentle about what he wanted to happen.

Bill came to BU and to academia from what he always called “the real world.” He didn’t have any of the usual acceptance of how things reportedly couldn’t be done, wouldn’t be done, and don’t-bother-suggesting-it within the context of a university bureaucracy. He held this point of view throughout his life — he was, after all, the son of a man who in 1944, as the medical commander of a hospital ship that was the target of a kamikaze attack, escaped with just a scratch on the forehead. His father, Joe, went on to be a radiologist in Beverly Hills. Hitchcock was a patient. So was William Randolph Hearst. Joe was never impressed by anyone — nor was Bill, although I did see him tremble just a little when he met, in line for a movie in Northampton, George Lucas.

Bill became a commercial film director just a year or two after he earned his MFA from the University of Southern California. Did any of you notice his obsession with time? Television commercials were then 30 seconds long, period. He thought in fractions of fractions of seconds. As a director, he expected perfection from his crew and he got it — that was in part because he understood the minute technicalities of the job of every person on a set.

By the time you at BU met him, in his 60s, he had developed some patience — but, truly, not much. His job as program director was 24/7. A fierce father of three daughters, he was a relentless worrier about the safety and health of his students.
But that lack of patience served him well. He had a will to survive. Most of you are not aware of the depth of his ill health. He survived many things — until he didn’t.

We purchased our new home in New Mexico in October. We were to come to it together for yet another adventure beginning this May. I would finally have his undivided attention. But it was not to be.

He was straightforward, down-to-earth, a mountain of stability, and, like his father, a gracious and kind gentleman. I loved him. I will always love him."

Rebecca Gimple, Former Program Manager,  Los Angeles Program

Bill truly cared about the people he worked with: students, faculty, staff, and alumni. He had boundless energy and such a positive attitude that shone through even during rough and stressful times. I will never forget Bill's kindness or support.

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Alissa Kramer, Former Program Manager, Los Angeles Program

During my first week of work at BU Study Abroad four years ago, I received a package. It turned out to be a thoughtful care package of local Californian delicacies and a card from my colleagues at BU Los Angeles, warmly welcoming me to the team. I had never, and not since, received such a care package from any colleague (nor have I given one) and this was how I first knew that I was working with some special people. Indeed, my fondness for Bill and his team only grew over the miles and over the years.

Despite the distance, Bill made Los Angeles feel like home for so many (myself included); he was a frequent visitor to campus, known by faculty, staff and students alike. You could always find him in the hallways of COM, wearing his uniform of jeans, black sneakers, black rimmed glasses, and his black phone around his neck. Personally I had originally wondered why Los Angeles was even a part of my "international" portfolio in the study abroad office, but I quickly realized how unique the city was and what a caring educator and student advocate Bill was. I became a total BULA convert, comfortably promoting the value of the program and the quality of the staff. Together we reached program milestones. I continued to visit LA off and on for work over the next few years and each time I felt like I was in my second office.

Bill was always looking for new ways to grow and shape the program, share opportunities, make connections, and take care for his staff. He was so generous, so kind, and he genuinely cared so much. I felt more taken care of just knowing Bill was in the world. His passing is a great loss not only to BULA and BUSA, but all of the BU community past, present and future. I already can't imagine a world without him.

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Whitney Sherman, Former Program Coordinator, Los Angeles Program

Bill, such a force of positivity and optimism, was one of the most caring educators with whom I’ve ever had the privilege of working. He was very globally-minded and tremendously valued learning and interacting with individuals across cultures. When he wasn’t spending hours taking language classes (and sharing his French homework with me), I recall he would often pop over to the Goethe Institut of Los Angeles (adjacent to the BU in LA offices) and chat with the staff about all things German. A mentor, friend, and colleague, he was full of sage advice on everything from emergency preparedness to dining out in Los Angeles. Most importantly he taught me that with hard work and a great attitude, anything is possible.

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Ben Laski, Lecturer, Los Angeles Program

I've had the pleasure of working with Bill for close to 15 years at the BULA program and he was not only a great teacher and a great director for the program but he was also a very caring person that I had the privilege of calling my friend. He will be sorely missed but his memory and footprint in the program and my life would last forever.

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Clare Le, Former Assistant Director, Boston University Los Angeles

Bill was a tremendously popular human being and we feel a profound loss without him in the world. The best boss a gal could ask for, Bill was patient and fair, doing whatever he could to give the team autonomy and confidence. He believed in and inspired us every day to explore our community, stay abreast of world events, and empathize with the problems of others.

His students will never know how much Bill cared about their success and well-being - at every stage of their careers. His door was always open, his words kind, and he reinforced respect and a strong work ethic. He shared hilarious anecdotes about life on set and growing up in Park La Brea as an LA native. He showed me Gangnam Style before it broke the Internet and once obliged the RAs in a #BillSelfies Instagram campaign. Forever young at heart, Bill and his passion for learning at any age was unparalleled.

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Michael Ouellette, Acting Director, Boston University Los Angeles

A memory of Bill that I will never forget: Just two days before Bill went to the hospital, we had our Farewell Dinner for the Fall 2016 students. Bill mentioned that his wife, Paula, was going to attend too. He gently nudged me to bring my two year old son, so Bill and Paula could both see him. That night, while the majority of our students were eating tacos and chatting with each other, Bill spent much of the evening chasing my son, picking him up, and playing games with him. It was so rewarding seeing how much joy Bill felt that night.

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Randi Siegel, Lecturer, Los Angeles Internship Program

Bill hired me to BU in LA 9 years ago and I've grown and learned about being a better teacher because of his leadership. Early on, I went to him with an idea for a rather unconventional exercise I wanted to do with my class and his response was "sure, why not." Where other bosses may have shied away from taking chances, he encouraged it and supported it. Year after year, I kept trying to push the envelope with ideas to see what would make him say no which, I believe was his way of helping to push me. I loved trying to impress him and I'll continue to do that, in spirit.

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Marcia Lewis Smith, Lecturer, Los Angeles Internship Program

As a founding member of the alumni group that started the BU/LA program, I can attest to Bill’s transformative influence. He took over the program after the initial launch and infused it with imagination and a passion for helping students launch themselves in a difficult business. The success of our BU/LA graduates in Hollywood confirms his impact. And Bill was persuasive. I never intended to teach, but here I am almost 14 years later deeply appreciative that he kept after me until I said yes. Bill was a gentle, warm leader who inspired so many of us.

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Larry Weinberg, Adjunct Professor, Los Angeles Internship Program

As a founding member of the BU In LA Program from it's fledgling days, I was thrilled when I received word that Bill would be taking over as the Program's Director just as we were establishing our footing in Los Angeles. The Program needed a strong and passionate leader to help it find its direction and grow to become the flagship program that it is today - and Bill was just that person. The Boston University students and community benefited greatly by Bill's leadership and vision. I am honored to have worked with Bill these past 10 years and will miss him dearly. He was not only a colleague but a friend - to all of us.

Mary McCloskey, Program Director, BU Dublin Study Abroad Programs

I recall at one year's Annual Meeting for the site directors, Bill was co-chairing a session entitled "Fish where the fish are!"
Who remembers the name of a session years later? Not many people, and indeed I can't recall off the top of my head the names of other sessions with such catchy, memorable titles, prior to that or since.

The theme of the session was basically this:
There are so many fish at BU (i.e potential study abroad students) why fish elsewhere (i.e at non-BU schools). He didn't mean ignore the non-BU schools, but rather, with a student body of circa 30,000 on the BU campuses, that's a huge pond right there on your doorstep.
His session was right after lunch, so while we were all off having lunch, he was busy hiding Swedish Fish throughout the room in which the session was being held. When we arrived after lunch, we had to find the sweets/candy and it was great fun. Honestly, we laughed so much yet the message was fantastic. To come up with a caption like that and the exercise to accompany it was genius.

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Gareth McFeely, Ph.D., Executive Director, Boston University Study Abroad

Bill had a deep and abiding concern for the well-being – academic, professional, and personal – of all the students with whom he worked, and I’ll greatly miss this investment in the next generations of successful professionals, but also our own multi-faceted conversation, cut short far too soon.

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Sue Rosenfeld, Former Director, Boston University Study Abroad

Bill brought energy and a sense of whimsy (which I share) to our group of RD's. We remained in touch after the closing of BU's program in Niger. He will be missed.

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Shannon Williams, Program Manager, Boston University Study Abroad

I loved working with Bill. He was responsive, caring and supportive of students and staff alike. It was great to see how excited he was for spring 2016 when he reached his long time goal of over 100 students for the semester. He always wanted to achieve that number and was so pleased when it happened. Big or small programs, Bill always made everyone feel welcome and excited to discover Los Angeles, the industry and their future careers.

Cody Brotter, Former Los Angeles Student

Bill's love of LA, love of BU, and love of BULA was infectious. The fact that I am still happily living and working in this city can be attributed not only to the program but to Bill Linsman himself. After the BULA Program was over and I started auditioning for commercials, I met one-on-one with Bill to talk about his experience as a commercial director and to get advice. He was nothing but helpful, encouraging, and kind.

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Mark DiCristofaro , Former Los Angeles Student, Producer, Line Producer, Matador Content

For me, and I think for many of us out here in LA, Bill will always be a mentor. Making the move to LA full of nerves and excitement, Bill welcomed us with a smile, let us know that the future would be okay, and provided the context and the space to play and explore with hands on career experiences and opportunity—and, more importantly...he pointed us in the right direction to get decently-priced plate of pasta on an assistant's budget.. He instilled confidence grounded in practical processes Moreover, he reminded us that our future would contain more than just a career—it would contain friends, family, volunteering, and a social life—our BULA experience was not just about starting a career, it was about starting a fulfilling life. For this, I thank Bill.

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Pedro Falci, Former BU LA Student, Associate Director, BU Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground

When I started the BUinLA program, I had no idea what to expect or whether I’d stand out in a notoriously competitive industry. Bill’s compassionate and generous mentorship filled me with confidence that I could make it in Hollywood and exceed my own expectations. Even though I would go on to leave the entertainment industry a few years after completing the program, I’m forever grateful to Bill for helping me navigate one of the most difficult transitions of my life – the shift from college student to working adult.

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Jay Hellerman, Former Los Angeles Student, Writer, TV and Feature Films

Bill never let a student's worry or criticism derail him from what he was best at, helping kids get jobs and network within the BU community.

Bill gave the best Getty center tour of anyone in Los Angeles. It was filled with nuanced take on the art, architecture, and jokes about Getty's cruel business practices and how they would be appreciated in Hollywood.

Bill never forgot a student's name or where they worked. He was obsessed with following up with our stories and helping us network for our future.

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Erik Hinrichsen, Former Student, Videographer, Los Angeles Program

As many others do, I consider Bill a mentor and a friend. He was one of the very few people from my time at BU, classmates included, that I remained in close contact with. He had a significant impact on my perception of the entertainment business and I am thankful for the wisdoms and lessons he bestowed upon me, but more so, I'll be forever grateful for the efforts he made to help me get my career going, from the Los Angeles Maritime video we worked on together, to the new BULA program video we started on this past year. He once told me, "Erik, it's just an absolute pleasure working with you. You remind me how much fun I had working." I'll never forget that, and I'll surely miss him.

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Dahly McCormick, Former Los Angeles Student, Production Assistant at Radical Media

Bill Linsman was hands down my favorite professor at Boston University, both abroad and on campus. At the end of my semester in LA, Bill said to me that few people are built to work in the entertainment industry, but he believed that I "had what it takes". Having a professor openly share his belief in you as a student and young professional was truly uplifting, especially before embarking on a new career in such a tough and daunting industry. Bill taught with kindness and genuinely cared for those around him, always actively rooting for his students and their success. He will be deeply missed.

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Dan Salgarolo, Former Los Angeles Student, Script Coordinator at Hasbro Animation Studios

The thing I keep thinking about with regards to Bill is that he was such a fixture of our community. If you went to BU, did the LA program, and have a career in LA, it seemed as though you wouldn't go two weeks without hearing about him or seeing him at some event. He felt permanent to me. Even though I can't say I knew him very well, he was solid and reliable, and subconsciously it felt as though he'd always be around. Because of this, because of his kindness and his wisdom - not to mention the fact that he made the phone call that started my career - it's hard and strange to conceptualize the community here without him. I'm sure if you knew him, or if you've reached out to other folks who did, you'll know that he was an expert at helping students start their careers here in LA. Not just because he set us up with internships or made phone calls for us, but because he lead by example.

He was the consummate net-worker and that inspired me to take that aspect of working in the entertainment business to heart. He always paid it forward, continuing to help alumni and the community in ways that went above and beyond his job description. I've mentioned this when discussing Bill before - and I know it's a cliché, but if ever the term "pillar of the community" applied to someone, it was him. He supported all of us, not just when we were in the BULA program, but anytime we needed it.

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Lindsey Schmidt, Former Los Angeles Student, Production Intern Fox Sports

As a first time TA, I wasn't sure what to expect. But after speaking with Bill on the phone before arriving in LA, I knew I was going to have an unforgettable experience: Bill was one of the most kind, caring and devoted professors I have ever worked with. He genuinely cared about every one of his students and wanted to give them every opportunity he could to learn and succeed. Working with Bill was one of the highlights of my experiences as a student at Boston University.

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Maura Smith, Former Los Angeles Student, Casting Assistant at Criminal Minds

Bill Linsman was one of the most kind and caring teachers and mentors that I have ever had the pleasure to know. As a student in the Boston University Los Angeles program, I had the opportunity to work with and get to know Bill. He went out of his way to make me, and all the rest of the students in the program, feel welcome in LA and in the BU community there. At the time I was finishing my thesis film, and Bill was a huge help to me in the editing process. He was always willing to stay late to offer guidance and many valuable insights. Bill was a big hearted wonderful man, and he will truly be missed.

Tobe Berkovitz, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Advertising, Boston University College of Communication

No matter what the question, request or comment, Bill’s first response was always a smile. This reflected his generosity of spirit and the personal warmth that was the soul of Bill Linsman. The fact that he always had a story about the golden days of Hollywood was a bonus of knowing him.

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John Bernstein, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Film, Boston University College of Communication

Bill Linsman’s generosity and great love of people can be illustrated by the following anecdote related to me by a former Hollywood executive: Bill walked into the executive’s new restaurant in Northampton and handed the owner a 20-dollar bill saying that he should frame it on the wall as portent for future good business and success for the new establishment. While the restaurant later changed hands, the executive says that Bill’s 20-dollar now hangs in his house as a wonderful reminder of the person who had dedicated his life to always helping and seeing the good in others.

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Norm Blanchard, Director Course Planning, Questrom School of Business

I had the pleasure of visiting Bill in Los Angeles when we were setting up the Management track of the L.A. program, and always looked forward to his subsequent visits to Boston when we would catch up. Bill was simply a deeply kind, generous, GOOD man. Truly a mensch. When Bill entered your day, it immediately brightened. I miss him.

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Jamie Companeschi, Production Specialist, Boston University College of Communication

A kind, considerate, and understanding man of grace are characteristics that I will cherish in remembering Bill.

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Debbie Danielpour, Assistant Professor, Department of Film and Television, Boston University College of Communication

Almost all of my former screenwriting students who have thriving careers in Hollywood were launched by Bill and the BULA program. His enthusiasm, belief in BULA and its students and can-do attitude will continue to inspire all the faculty.

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Ben DeWinter, Associate Provost for International Programs (Retired)

I first met Bill Linsman at a lecture given at the College of Communications in the year 2004 when he was a Visiting Professor in the Department of Film and Television. I do not remember the precise date of the lecture nor the subject matter, but I do recall our first conversation immediately after the lecture and the sudden realization that I had quite likely found the person I had been looking for. Bill and I connected immediately. With a gleam in his eyes and a warm smile, he spoke enthusiastically about what he was doing at COM, sharing some intriguing information about the scope and depth of his experiences in film and advertising, all the while conveying his enthusiasm for the Boston University Film and Television Program in Los Angeles, which was still in its infancy. Should there be an opportunity to direct that program, Bill said, he would very much like to be considered. In my mind, he was exactly what BU needed to transform an embryonic program into a full-fledged success that would attract the greater participation of students, faculty and alumni.

I was never disappointed; in fact, Bill exceeded my expectations. Working closely with colleagues on both coasts, he identified new faculty, many from distinguished BU alumni affiliated in some capacity with Hollywood; he expanded the curriculum and the list of available internships, added classrooms and moved the program to better facilities, and always and everywhere generated support for the program. In the years following his appointment as Director of the Los Angeles “Study Abroad” Program, we would often chuckle that BU in LA was part of the International Programs constellation around the world, along with the program in Washington, D.C., two “domestic” cultures that were as unique as all the other sites abroad, each one successful in its own way.

On one of my occasional visits to LA, I mentioned to Bill that I had never visited a Hollywood studio. Sure enough, on my next visit, accompanied by my late wife Susan, he had arranged for us a magnificent tour of Paramount Pictures, complete with visits to studios and meetings with top executives, among them the legendary A.C. Lyles, the longest working member of the company and an expert on the industry, who died in 2013 at the age of 95, just three years after our visit. I still have pictures of Bill and us in the memorabilia-filled office of A.C. Lyles. Bill graciously thanked Lyles and other executives with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. I came away with a greater appreciation for the outstanding work Bill was doing for Boston University in LA, including the marvelous internship opportunities he was providing for our students. Spending a day with a man who exhausted his heart and energy in the service of others was an unforgettable pleasure for me.

As I write these comments I have in front of me a picture of all the Resident Directors and several members of my senior staff that was taken shortly after we moved our offices from Bay State Road to the larger space on Commonwealth Avenue. I see Bill standing in the back row near the center of the group, his head tilted slightly upwards and a serene smile on his face. He was an integral part of the team, greatly appreciated by all his colleagues for his consummate skill, his love of people, particularly students, his boundless capacity for continued innovation and, always, his gentle touch. Working with the likes of Bill and the Resident Directors - -men and women who share an enthusiasm for academic and internship programs, are committed to preparing students for life and work in a complex, global environment, and manage their programs with passion and professionalism – was one of life’s great joys and privileges for me.

I want to express my heartfelt condolences to Bill’s beloved wife, Paula Panich, whom I had the pleasure of seeing on several occasions in Boston and Los Angeles. Exchanging their lovely gardens in Northampton, Massachusetts for the urban life of LA. , while exciting and rewarding, was not without its initial challenges, and I remain deeply grateful to both of them for graciously embracing their new lives in California. I know I can speak for many of Bill’s colleagues and friends in Boston and around the globe when I say that we will keep Paula in our thoughts, and hope that our affection and admiration for Bill will be of some help to her and her family during this difficult time.

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Raul Fernandez, Ed.D., Lecturer, Higher Education Administration

Bill was kind enough to host me when I came out to visit the LA program some years ago. His passion for his work and the love of his students was evident. Great guy who knew everything about (and seemingly everyone in) Los Angeles. Huge loss for us, but his memory will live on through the many students he mentored.

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Thomas E. Fiedler, Dean and Professor of the Practice in Journalism, Boston University College of Communication

So much of the good that Bill did was unseen — and deliberately so. A few years ago I told Bill about a Los Angeles school district’s program for students in the juvenile justice system who are sentenced to work as crew members on a full-rigged sailing ship – something few if any of these teens had ever seen. But once put into this unfamiliar environment they soon learned that to succeed they needed new skills and to practice discipline and teamwork. The program worked wonders, but desperately needed donors. Bill leapt to action, assembling a film crew (including our students) and producing a beautiful video that became a great fund-raising tool for the program. He never asked for a thing in return.

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Sam Kauffmann, Professor, Film , Boston University College of Communication

I have been a member of the full-time faculty at COM for over 25 years. Bill was the kindest colleague I've had, and I have had some kind ones.

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Faith Nussbaum, Assistant Director, Undergraduate Program Office, Questrom School of Business

One of the first times I met Bill, I mentioned that my husband was an architect, and we began talking about architecture and some of the famous buildings in Boston. A few days later, I got a Frank Gehry documentary in the mail. I was confused because I hadn’t ordered it. It took me awhile to figure out, but I eventually realized that Bill had gotten it for me. I was so touched. I think what made Bill amazing was that he made everyone feel appreciated and special. He remembered the names of the whole Questrom advising team, even though he only visited a couple times a year. He was incredibly thoughtful and generous.

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Cathy Perron, Director, Master’s in Media Ventures Program, Boston University College of Communication

Bill Linsman was a true gentle-man—kind and thoughtful, a great listener, an even-better cheerleader, a very rare leader who encouraged and celebrated the accomplishments of his colleagues and staff. He took enormous pride in BULA, building it from a fledgling program into the great success that it is today. Bill was never shy when it came to touting COM and the BULA program. He constantly reached out to the professional community to establish contacts and support for the students. He built strong relationships with the trade press and created lasting friendships with so many COM alums. Bill had such a warm way of dealing with people. His quiet confidence was inspiring, and his offer to help was always genuine.

I had the privilege of working closely with Bill, and to count him as a dear friend. In 2008, when I was developing the Media Ventures graduate program, I met with Bill to discuss how we might include the BULA experience. In the nine years since, Bill brought his unwavering support for Media Ventures, his enthusiasm, creativity, and passion for the industry, and provided me with an amazing collaborator.

It’s not often that you work with someone like Bill Linsman. Faculty, staff, students and alums- everyone liked and respected Bill. His passing is a great loss and we will all miss him.

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Steve Quigley, Associate Professor, Public Relations, Boston University College of Communication

While I didn't know Bill especially well, I knew him and enjoyed every interaction I've ever had with him. His smile. His passion. His artist/creator persona. But above all, his warmth and sincerity. He was a gentleman and a gentle man who was devoted to students and his profession. An ideal professor.
His passing is a terrible loss for COM, Study Abroad, our students and kinder/gentler people everywhere.

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Paul Schneider, Chair, Department of Film and Television, Boston University College of Communication

For a man who was always soft-spoken and self-effacing, I never ceased to be amazed at how persuasive he could be. I have to invent the phrase “gently aggressive” to describe how he accomplished so much.

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Kate B. Stewart, Department Administrator, Film & Television, Boston University College of Communication

Bill was the central force behind our BULA program. It is a great option for our FTV students to gain exposure to the film and television industry in Los Angeles. I would speak to Bill almost daily. He was always in a good mood and asked how your day was. We will miss him.

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Bill Taylor, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Affairs, Boston University College of Communication

Bill Linsman and I both started at Boston University in the early 2000’s and I soon learned he was one of the true good guys who always advocated for our students. Bill’s tireless work to build his network led to countless students finding ideal internship opportunities to launch their careers. It goes without saying that our College and our graduates owe Bill a debt of gratitude for the number of careers he helped inspire.

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Willis G. Wang, Vice President and Associate Provost for Global Programs

Through his leadership, not only did our LA enrollment grow, but our students consistently had meaningful academic internship experiences. He also had a wonderful ability to make you feel special, that what you had to share was important and interesting to him.