In the fall of 1952, I joined the Princeton admission staff under Bill Edwards ’36. Joe Bolster ’52 and I were the only staffers. A few years later, Bob Goheen invited me to spend a couple of hours daily helping him with the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Program — from 4 until 6 p.m., five days a week. And thereby hangs my tale.
Around that time, I was invited to move to the University of Pittsburgh as that institution’s first director of admission. I asked Bob for his advice and he encouraged me to accept the offer — in part because it would allow me to finish a Ph.D. in English, which I had begun six years earlier at Yale. Then came Bob’s further response: “If I’m not promoted pretty soon (from assistant professor of classics), I’m going to start looking, too.” About a year later, Bob was “promoted” — to president!
I’ve always been grateful to Bob — not only for his advice, but for the example he set. I did finish the doctorate and went on to be president of two small colleges, one private and one public.
In the fall of 1952, I joined the Princeton admission staff under Bill Edwards ’36. Joe Bolster ’52 and I were the only staffers. A few years later, Bob Goheen invited me to spend a couple of hours daily helping him with the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Program — from 4 until 6 p.m., five days a week. And thereby hangs my tale.
Around that time, I was invited to move to the University of Pittsburgh as that institution’s first director of admission. I asked Bob for his advice and he encouraged me to accept the offer — in part because it would allow me to finish a Ph.D. in English, which I had begun six years earlier at Yale. Then came Bob’s further response: “If I’m not promoted pretty soon (from assistant professor of classics), I’m going to start looking, too.” About a year later, Bob was “promoted” — to president!
I’ve always been grateful to Bob — not only for his advice, but for the example he set. I did finish the doctorate and went on to be president of two small colleges, one private and one public.
Like all of you at Princeton, I’ll miss him.