The Founders Day convocation saw the inauguration of a new honor – Eliphalet Nott Medals, to recognize the perseverance of alumni who have attained great distinction in their fields.
Here are excerpts from the comments made by the first six medalists.
Robert I. Chartoff '55, president of Chartoff Productions:
When I was contacted by the College and told I was going to receive this medal, a lot of
wonderful thoughts emerged about the school.
But along with them was another feeling, a rather anxious one. Perhaps if will resonated with some of the students who are here now…. It usually came on a Friday
or Saturday night… I'd be walking on Library Field and saying to myself, “It's getting close to the end now.
You'll be leaving Union. What do I do next? Where do I go from here?” …I've discovered that it isn't so bad;
I've discovered there are lots of opportunities, lots of chances for people. And I'm grateful for the education I got here that made it possible.
A. Lee Fritschler '59, president of Dickinson College:
The last time I attended an event in this auditorium I was required to be here.
In those days a few faculty members sat up in the balcony and the students say downstairs, out mind being improved – somewhat forcibly, I suppose – by being required to listen to lectures and music. But I'm glad I was here. I think Union changed me, and I believe over the years Union has changed….
The sun shines brightly on the brook that bounds, and I believe it shines more brightly than it ever has in the past.
Michael J. Fuchs '67, chairman and chief executive officer of Home Box Office:
When I was at Union the students were caught up with the social turmoil of the 1960's, particularly the Civil Rights movement and the
Vietnam War.
They were the fundamental issues. But it was the “coedification” of Union that occupied my spare thoughts in those days…. It's a great thrill to be up on this stage receiving such a nice award on such a proud occasion, and knowing that I don't have to go back to North College to study for the rest of the weekend.
Robert A. Laudise '52, adjunct research director for chemistry at AT&T Bell Laboratories:
This, for me, is not so much a recognition of an individual as a continuing commitment of Union's part to the second Union triad – the commitment to science, engineering, and the humanities…. I think it shows what you can do if you take a kid from Amsterdam and let him come to a great school and expose him to a wonderful chemical faculty.
Kathleen M. White '72, editor-in-chief of Redbook magazine:
I picked Union because it had a great reputation and some journalism courses. I also picked it because on my interview day it was snowing and there were some guys at Chi Psi sliding down the hill on cafeteria trays.
I thought, “I really want to be at a place where people are having that much fun with that much zest.” The summer before I got here they did
away with all the journalism courses. Bin in a sense it didn't matter, because what I gout out of Union had more to do with what I saw that day in the snowstorm. From the professors and the students, I came away with a sense that life is a wonderful challenge and adventure.
Baruch S. Blumberg '46, Fox Chase Distinguished Scientist at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia and winner of the Nobel Prize in 1976:
In 1795 the country was still new, fresh, experimental, We had started on one of the great political adventures of all time and it caught the imagination of the world.
The foundation of the College was stimulated by the perception, which is strong in the history of the United States, that we could prosper by maintaining an educated citizenry who could take advantage of the new learning generated by the cultural and scientific renaissance of the eighteenth century.