I recently went back to Princeton and, while I was there, I visited some professors and staff who helped shape my time as an undergraduate. When at Forbes, I found out that Carole Sutphin, a Forbes dining-hall worker, had passed away recently from a sudden illness. I was surprised to see nothing on Forbes’ website, nor in PAW. It strikes me as odd that the people to whom we owe our sustenance and sometimes our sanity don’t make our news.
I would like to honor Carole’s memory. So many Forbes alumni and others truly owe her a debt of gratitude that we never can repay. She was always present to offer a warm smile, sage advice, or the gift of laughter. We need to remember that alumni and faculty are not the only citizens of the school. The staff are the motor of the institution, particularly those whose responsibilities include the grunt work that is so often invisible.