November at Yale: YAA, football, and feting two ’69ers
Every member of the Yale community knows that November in New Haven is filled with compelling and colorful events. Whether Princeton or Harvard is the opponent, the campus is energized by championship football, the YAA Assembly, the Yale Medal Dinner, and the Blue Leadership Ball, all concentrated into a single long weekend.
This year Harvard was the opponent and The Game attracted over 51,000 to the Yale Bowl, a robust crowd that excitedly saw the Bulldog defense hold off a late Crimson surge, enabling a 23-18 Eli victory.
The win allowed the Blue to claim their second consecutive Ivy League Championship , and fourth in the last six years. Celebration was in the air.
YAA Assembly. Two days earlier the YAA Assembly highlighted ‘The Creative Economy at Yale: Innovations in Culture, Society, and Technology.’ Programming offered attendees ample evidence of the substance and vibrancy of Yale education, its faculty, and multi phasic exposure into cutting edge curriculum and areas of probable future studies.
Yale Medal. Two delightful evenings focused upon graduates whose contributions have been meaningful and memorable. Thursday, November 16th saw 5 alumni honored with the Yale Medal, awarded to graduates whose volunteer service to the University and its scholarship have been exemplary whether at regional alumni or on campus events. These awardees have given selflessly and repeatedly. Honoring them appropriately was the centerfold of an unforgettable and inspirational evening.
The Blue Leadership Ball, held Friday evening honored “six exemplars of Global Leaders who have enriched Yale’s athletic heritage and then made a positive impact on society.” The George H.W. Bush, ‘48 Lifetime of Leadership Award honors alumni/athletes who, “in life after Yale, have made significant contributions in their worlds of governance, commerce, science, and technology, education , public services the arts, and media.”
Two of the five recipients were ‘69ers, further proof of the rich and indelible contributions of our Class.
Dr. Terry Light (Trumbull ’69,) was highlighted for his extensive professional and volunteer medical and surgical work throughout the third world. Terry, whose undergraduate experience included 4 years of varsity wrestling, followed his MD degree with nearly 49 years of orthopedic surgery as a world renown pediatric hand surgeon. He has performed surgery and supervised orthopedic surgical care in numerous underserved countries for patients whose lives were rendered normal and productive by his reconstructive and rehabilitative surgery. He served as Chairman of the Department of Orthopeadic Surgery and Rehabilitation at Loyola University Medical Center for over 25 years.
Frank Shorter, (Morse ‘69) distinguished himself as a cross-country runner and recurring national champion at 3 and 6 miles during his senior year and shortly thereafter. He became the Olympic trials champion at both 10,000 meters and the marathon in both 1972 and 1976. He went on to win the Olympic Gold Medal in the Marathon in 1972 and the Silver Medal in 1976.
His storied career included founding and Chairmanship of the United States Anti-Doping Agency. He became the face and father of long-distance running in the US. His influence upon the world of distance running has been unparalleled .
Now that’s a memorable fall weekend of winning activities in New Haven!