2006 Recipients
John Lott Brown '46
John Lott Brown, today we recognize and formally thank you for your high level of distinguished service to Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
From your days as an undergraduate during the war years as part of the Navy's V-12 program with its demanding regimen, to your experiences as a trainer of the Project Mercury astronauts, through your career as a distinguished faculty member, researcher and top administrator at several of this country's higher institutions of learning, your professional leadership and demonstrated concern for students, particularly at your alma mater, has never wavered.
As a student at WPI during the 1940s, you and your classmates "hit the ground running" as part of the Navy's accelerated program for officers in which you received your education, training and commission in just three years. In those hectic days most were just trying to get through the long and demanding schedule of Navy instruction and WPI courses for which only the best and brightest were selected. Yet somehow, you became known as a leader on campus despite a protracted illness developed during the training which only stiffened your resolve to graduate on time with your classmates.
This demonstrated determination to offer your best intellectually, physically and emotionally has stood you in good stead over the years. Following graduation, your involvement in the training programs for the early astronauts through Project Mercury helped you to centrally contribute to a team of dedicated scientists and educators responsible for the United States exploration of space.
Despite your early contributions to the space program, all who know you will say that it was and remains your quiet manner of intellectual leadership which marked your career as a distinguished faculty member, researcher, and administrator at many of the country's leading universities. You have served institutions such as the University of Rochester and the University of Kansas and later, as President of the University of South Florida during its founding years, it was your leadership that moved that university from infancy to the 17th largest university in the United States. Yet, regardless of your other involvement, you always set aside a place in your heart and mind and time for WPI.
Your quiet and persuasive intellect, experience, and vision allowed you to help shape the policies and programs of WPI's academic programs and student life activities as a respected member of WPI's Board of Trustees. Elected to the Board in 1971, as the WPI Plan was becoming a reality, you served with distinction for twelve years before moving on to Emeritus status in 1983. Most notably, after retiring as President of the University of South Florida, you accepted the invitation of WPI to return to the campus to serve as interim President of your alma mater. Despite all of your other achievements John Lott Brown, WPI believes that in terms of your alma mater, this interim presidency proved to be your finest hour. During your nine months at WPI, with your wife Katie by your side, you created a sense of community on campus that fostered a campus-wide spirit of cooperation between students, faculty, and administration during a pivotal period in WPI's history.
John Lott Brown, for your high level of leadership and your dedication through the years to your alma mater, WPI honors you today with the presentation of the Herbert F. Taylor Award for Distinguished Service.
Mary Sherman '76
Mary Sherman, your unwavering support of your alma mater and your class has been the hallmark of your volunteer career at WPI. On numerous occasions you have stepped forward willingly and without hesitation to lend a hand. In doing so you have earned the respect of your classmates and the university.
Over the years you have held numerous leadership roles within the Class of 1976. As a long standing member of your Board of Directors you have been influential in setting the overall direction for class activities. Many Reunion Weekend planning committees have benefited from your creativity, enthusiasm and attention to detail. As chair of several, you worked hard to ensure that your classmates had a memorable experience.
You have encouraged members of your class to invest in WPI on a yearly basis and through special fundraising drives. As a Class Agent, you have asked others to join you in supporting the Annual Alumni Fund. For your 25th Reunion, you were a member of the steering committee for your class gift campaign and played a pivotal role in its overall success. Now as a member of your 30th Reunion Planning and Gift Committees you are once again helping to secure support for WPI's students and faculty.
In everything you've done you've set an example for other class volunteers to follow. You have agreed to take on countless responsibilities and have done so with one goal in mind-to help further your beloved alma mater.
Mary Sherman, in recognition of your thoughtful leadership, dedication and commitment to WPI in so many ways, it is a great pleasure to present you with the Herbert F. Taylor Alumni Award for Distinguished Service to WPI.
Frederick Rucker ' 81
Fred Rucker, for more than twenty-five years your dedication to your alma mater has known no bounds. As a shining example of student and alumni citizenship, and as an effective and influential leader, you have epitomized all that one could hope for in a WPI alumnus and volunteer.
From serving as president of your sophomore, junior and senior class, to your leadership as vice president of Phi Kappa Theta and co-captain of the Men's Varsity Track team, your undergraduate years were marked by a determination that garnered the respect and admiration of your peers. You also earned a distinguished place in WPI's athletic history when, in 1981, you competed in the grueling decathlon at the New England Division III Championships at Bowdoin, winning a first place finish and setting an all New England record.
Your success as a competitor and a team leader were attributes that led to an impressive executive career in telecommunications. After earning a bachelor's degree with distinction in mechanical engineering, you went to AT&T where you had several prominent posts, ultimately becoming managing director south pacific region. In 1990 you joined Sprint as a regional sales and marketing vice president. An opportunity arose to join Bell Canada, and so you commuted to Canada for several years where you became a senior vice president and ultimately the company's chief strategist and total portfolio manager. You then joined the newly formed international joint venture Global One as head of sales, marketing and business development and ultimately became the interim tri-CEO until its sale in 2000. More recently you have served in senior executive roles with two startup companies before founding Capital Management Partners, where you specialize in interim executive and consulting services for clients around the world.
If home is where the heart is, then truly yours resides in Virginia with your wife Kirsten and your five children. But you have always had another home here at your alma mater, where you have made it a priority to be an involved and concerned alumnus. In addition to serving as president of your class, you have aided the Alumni Association in numerous capacities from chair of the Northern New Jersey and New York regional clubs, to class council representative and a head agent. You joined the Association's executive Committee in 1986 and in that capacity, co-chaired career connections and chaired the student alumni interaction committee and the young alumni task force, for which you led an attitudinal study of recent graduates that was the basis of the 1991 Alumni Association master plan. In 1996 you were elected to the WPI Board of Trustees and you have since served on many of its committees including student affairs, physical facilities, budget and finance, technology, audit, executive compensation and the Executive Committee. You have also chaired the advancement committee since 2000, and in that capacity, helped WPI envision its first comprehensive marketing program and complete the Campaign for WPI in 2004 with a record $153.7 million raised. And knowing that a successful fundraising volunteer must also lead by example, you have always stepped forward willingly and generously, as a leadership contributor to the Campus Center and as an ongoing member of the President's Advisory Council.
Few alumni have done so much as a volunteer for this institution, fewer still while at the same time being achieving such stature in their chosen professional field, but only a precious few have done all that before their 25th Reunion. Indeed, your many contributions and achievements have not gone unnoticed. In recognition of your early and extensive service to WPI you were awarded the John Boynton Young Alumni Award in 1991. Your extraordinary career was celebrated in 1996 with the Ichabod Washburn Young Alumni Award for Professional Achievement. And in 2000, your athletic accomplishments were hailed as you became the 101st inductee in WPI's Athletic Hall of Fame.
Fred Rucker, today we turn to you once again to say thank you for all you have done for your alma mater, and to express our sincere pride in all that you have helped WPI to achieve. You are truly a shining example of alumni citizenship. It is therefore with great pleasure that I present to you today the Herbert F. Taylor Alumni Award for Distinguished Service to WPI.
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