Richard M. Chalfen ’60: From Anthropologist to Philanthropist A loyal Browne & Nichols alumnus for many years, Richard (Dick) Chalfen ’60 recently reflected that “B&N crept up on me in ways I can never repay. Becoming a member of The Almy Society is a step in that direction.”
some sense of academic prowess. This earned me scholarships to graduate school (he received an M.A. and Ph.D. in Communications from UPenn) and a full professorship some years later.”
Professor of Anthropology at Temple University for many years, For more information about The including ground-breaking work in Almy Society and opportunities the field of visual anthropology, Dick is currently a Senior Staff to include BB&N in your estate Researcher at Boston Children’s plans, contact Janet Rosen at Hospital’s Center on Media and Child 617-800-2729 or jrosen@bbns.org, Health. In recognition of his many professional accomplishments, or visit bbns.plannedgiving.org. he received BB&N’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2005 and the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Society of Visual Anthropology. “My point is that I knew I should have been more attentive to classes and coursework—the school was A longtime BB&N annual fund volunteer, donor, and class always working on this in both explicit and implicit secretary, Dick recently notified the School that he had ways. It took until junior year at the University of included BB&N in his estate plans through a bequest Pennsylvania (where he received a B.A. in Anthropology) intention in his will, ensuring that his lifetime of for it all to click. I had a chance to exert and renew my support will continue to benefit his alma mater for B&N training, to play varsity soccer, and demonstrate years to come. One of Browne & Nichols’ first two Lifers, Dick commented that “I would be the first to acknowledge that I was not an academic star while at B&N in the late ’50s. I aspired to be a star athlete, though that didn’t always work out either (he was co-captain of the soccer team, however), but I was happy with the activities and all the friendships I made.
Dick Chalfen ’60 and wife Karen on a recent trip to Paris