Scholarships continue Hilwig’s influence Most would agree the teaching profession influences countless lives, as those immediately touched in turn inspire another, in an endless ripple. Occasionally, an individual manifests not only an effect on their students, but also on their colleagues, friends, family, and nearly everyone they meet. Dr. Stuart Hilwig was just that sort of person. On October 28, 2012, the professor of history was killed in an auto accident in northern New Mexico.
Crowther said while Hilwig was engaging and humorous, he also had high expectations of his students. “He believed they could achieve those expectations, and he was willing to help them reach those expectations.”
stuart hilwig memorial scholarship
Ray Hilwig, Stuart’s father, established the Stuart J. Hilwig Memorial Scholarship for Adams State students majoring in history. He said Stuart had gone through a lot stu hilwig hgp dept honors scholarship of medical conditions, including his first heart surgery when he was four-and-a-half-years-old. “He had lots of Compassionate, funny, approachable, humble, truly a miles, with surgeries and pace makers, but he didn’t let person who made the most out of his life, Hilwig’s sudden that slow him down, especially academically.” death shook the entire campus, especially those within his Ray said he admires Stuart for pursuing an academic cadepartment. “Stu had a tremendous sense of humor and a reer, including traveling to Europe to real passion for working with stustudy, despite his chronic heart condidents,” said Dr. Edward Crowther, tion. “That kind of baggage did not History/Government/Philosophy Dekeep him from moving forward and partment chair. taking on more and more. As I look According to Crowther, the HGP back on it, I wonder if I would have Department “overwhelmingly” agreed had the strength to forge forward.” to establish a scholarship in Hilwig’s Ray, who owns a construction comname. The department had set aside pany and vacation rentals in Maine, revenue from its master’s in humanisaid Stuart once told him, “‘You know, ties/history for an undergraduate Dad, you have to remember I loved scholarship that will be named for homework.’ In that way, he was the Hilwig. Dr. John McDaniel, emeritus total opposite of me.” Although their professor of history, also contributed chosen career paths differed, Ray said to the scholarship. Stuart “was a working man’s intellec“A ‘scholarship,’ in every sense of tual.” the word, is a fitting way to honor Two scholarship in his memory will Ray established the scholarship at Stu. He wrote a book, was in the perpetuate Dr. Stuart Hilwig’s commitment to students. Adams State, rather than one of Stuprocess of having it translated into art’s alma maters, because “Stuart really Italian, and founded the Latino Studloved Adams State, and it is those students he wanted to ies minor,” said Dr. Mari Centeno, associate professor of influence. This scholarship will carry on his influence.” political science. “I half-jokingly announced that the most Friends of Ray and Stuart have also donated to the important criterion for scholarship recipients would be a scholarship. Ray hopes to add to the scholarship on the ansense of humor. After all, applicants to the scholarship niversary of Stuart’s passing. should reflect some of the characteristics that made Stu Stuart earned his B.A. from Vanderbilt University in great.” 1991 and a Ph.D. in history from Ohio State University in The faculty designated the Stu Hilwig HGP Depart2000. He joined the Adams State faculty in 2000. He and ment Honors Scholarship for students majoring in politihis wife, Dr. Stephanie Hilwig, Adams State associate procal science or history. Political science students must fessor of sociology, have three children. His book, Italy and demonstrate successful progress toward completing a Latin 1968: Youthful Unrest and Democratic Culture ,was pubAmerican Studies minor and/or upper-division courses in lished in 2009 by Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan. Latin American Government, politics, or US-Latin American relations. History majors must demonstrate successful By Linda Relyea ‘96 progress toward completing a bachelor’s degree in history/government with courses in European, Latin American, Mexican, and Chicano history.
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aStater spring 2013