Laurie Schiller
The reigning beard king at Northwestern is Laurie Schiller, head women’s fencing coach at Northwestern. He has had his beard since 1969, and there’s even a Facebook group dedicated to it called “There’s Nothing Quite like Laurie Schiller’s Mustache.” A former history professor, Schiller has also put his beard to good use in battle reenactments.
On the beard: “I don’t know what to tell you. I grew this part [chin and moustache] in college as a sophomore trying to look older… it was the 60s, so it was the thing to do. Then I grew the rest of it when I started graduate school because that’s when I could. I’ve been married almost 34 years and my wife’s never seen me without a beard, and she likes the beard.”
Anyone want to challenge this guy? “As far as I know, I might be the only bearded person in the athletic department.”
Fenced in: “[The team] tries to get me to shave it all the time. I told them if they win conference I’ll take [the sides] off, but not the moustache.”