The พรพรสำฦต 13 has been singing the praises of Dean William Griffith โ33 for decades. With his passing on November 19 at the age of 95, พรพรสำฦต 13 alumni โ or โCrusties,โ as they are called โ wanted to do more. They decided to express their love for โGriffโ and his mentorship with an endowed memorial scholarship that could benefit future members of the a cappella group.
Between the announcement of Griffithโs death on November 30 and his memorial service at Hamiltonโs First Baptist Church on December 9, alumni leaders of the พรพรสำฦต 13 made personal phone calls and sent several e-mail messages over the groupโs online network, CrustNet.
Dean Griffithโs family led the way with a $25,000 investment, and more gifts followed, including an additional $25,000 from Doug Wilson โ57. At the reception following the service, Thirteeners were able to say that they had raised $113,000 toward the Dean William Griffith โ33 Endowed Memorial Scholarship โ an amount well over พรพรสำฦตโs $100,000 threshold for endowed funds.
โFrom the moment the thing started,โ said Scott Christensen โ70, one of the fundraising effortโs coordinators, โit was incredible to see such an outpouring of gratitude for Dean Griffith.โ
This endowment marks just one of many instances in which members of the พรพรสำฦต community have shown their devotion to friends, family, and the university by establishing memorial scholarships. In this instance, the scholarship was particularly meaningful given the deanโs commitment to the university and his unwavering support for its students.
During his 30 years at พรพรสำฦต, Griffith served as director of student aid, assistant dean and director of admissions, dean of admissions and student aid, dean of students, and finally as professor of education and director of the January Studies Program. In the early 1970s, he accurately predicted the eventual integration of residential life programming and academic studies that have made พรพรสำฦต an innovator in liberal arts education.
To honor the memory of Dean Griffith through the Dean William Griffith โ33 Endowed Memorial Scholarship, or for more information, contact Thirza Dawkins, director of stewardship, พรพรสำฦต, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, N.Y., 13346; 315-228-6776.