We write on behalf of ReachOut 56-81-06 and the family of Dan Gardiner ’56, our longtime ReachOut chairman. Sadly, Dan passed away May 15.
We want to call attention to Dan’s splendid contributions to the Princeton alumni body and to the University itself. For the past decade, Dan had been the driving force behind our public-service entity, which has provided fellowships to 25 graduating seniors to perform significant community-service projects (proposed by them) across the United States and, in recent years, distant lands; has undertaken a number of worthwhile mentoring projects in inner-city public schools in New York City, Trenton, and elsewhere, focusing on college awareness, financing, and retention issues; and now sponsors an annual social-entrepreneurship competition that enjoys great popularity on the campus.
Of even greater note to alumni, though, Dan spearheaded the formation of a truly intergenerational partnership among the classes of 1956, 1981, and 2006, spanning a full 50 years — all working together to perform important activities in the nation’s service. As far as we’re aware, this hasn’t been done by any other class, and we think it should inspire fellow alumni to undertake public-interest activities in a similar across-the-decades fashion. President Tilghman has recognized our good works with the fellowships and binding together the three classes as “shining examples of the University’s motto.”
We will surely miss Dan’s leadership, moral character, engaging personality, and warm friendship toward his colleagues.