"Who does Wabash College belong to?" asked Indianapolis Deputy Mayor Eugene Anderson ’83. The former Wabash speech major, track and football player posed that thought to nearly 100 Wabash men at Thursday’s Chapel Talk.
Anderson, who has been active in Indianapolis with a number of organizations, worked at Wabash for five years in major gifts. He now serves along side deputy mayor Steve Campbell ’92 in Indianapolis mayor Bart Peterson’s office.
During the drive up I-74 Anderson reflected on his Wabash years and also the idea of who owns the college. He suggested Caleb Mills and the founders certainly have ownership. Then he thought about College Trustees who must make many important decisions and raise the money to build beautiful new buildings.
He commented briefly on the President and all the Wabash staff members who make the institution great. He reflected briefly on how the faculty must take ownership as well. Anderson thought about the important role alumni play and how that role has increased in recent years.
He said students come to Wabash and spend a year learning how to compete academically and athletically; as sophomores they learn what is expected from them. Wabash juniors realize they have a major course of study to complete. Then seniors start thinking about comps and graduation.
"All those groups have some ownership," Anderson concluded. "The college really belongs to the community of Wabash. Take time as a student, as a coach, support staff, alumni, trustee and take time so when you talk to people that Wabash remains an institution that when individuals go through here they give something back to the community.
"It never has a beginning and never has an end. All the years this institution has existed, it’s cyclical. That’s what makes Wabash special."