FWCD Valedictorians

FWCDVal edi ct or i ans Wr i t t enby Nor maWi l ker s onH’ 07

LastJune,asFr asherHudsonPer gande’ 81andCynt hi aRi mmerPr i nce’ 87 wor kedonpl ansf orFor tWor t hCount r yDay’ s50t hanni ver sar ycel ebr at i on, Fr asheraskedmet oconsi derwr i t i ngacoupl eofar t i cl esaboutFWCD’ s hi st or y.BecauseIt aughtatFWCDf or35year s,f r om August1976t hr ough May2011,ser vedasdeanofst udent sf r om 1996t hr ough1998andas seni ordeanf r om 1998t hr ough2007,Fr ashert houghtIcoul dsaysomet hi ng aboutourval edi ct or i ans.Knowi ngoneval edi ct or i anonl yast hepar entofan FWCDst udentand36mor eoft heseyoungmenandwomenasst udent s,I agr eedt owr i t et hear t i cl e.

Nor maWi l ker s onH’ 07

. . . manysmi l es,somel aught erandmuchpri deasI l earnedwhatsomeofFWCD’ sval edi ct ori ansare doi ngt oday,whatmot i vat edt hem as st udent sand whatef f ectt hei ryear’ sherehavehadont hei r col l egeandl i f eexperi ences.WhatIl earnedshoul d makeeverymemberofourcommuni t yequal l y proud.

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Fr asherhadsentast ackofpagescopi edf r om t heFal conQui l landal i stofnamesandcont act i nf or mat i onf oral lofFor tWor t hCount r yDay’ s val edi ct or i ans.Af t err eadi ngt hr oughyear s ofi nt er vi ews,Iemai l edf ourquest i onst oal l t heval edi ct or i answhohadei t hercompl et ed anal umnisur veyi n2009orpr ovi dedemai laddr essest oFWCD’ sonl i ne di r ect or y,oneofmanyser vi cesof f er edt oal umnii nt heFal conPor t al . ( FWCDal umnisi mpl ypr ovi det hei rl ogi nnameandpasswor dandsear ch t heonl i ne di r ect or yt osayi ncont actwi t hcl assmat esandf r i ends.Don’ t haveal ogi nnameandpasswor d?Cont actTi f f i niCr um,Webcont ent manager ,f orassi st ance. )Myquest i onsel i ci t ed15emai l sandonet el ephone cal l .Theyal soel i ci t edmanysmi l es,somel aught erandmuchpr i deas Il ear nedwhatsomeofFWCD’ sval edi ct or i ansar edoi ngt oday,what mot i vat edt hem asst udent sandwhatef f ectt hei ryear ’ sher ehavehadon t hei rcol l egeandl i f eexper i ences.WhatIl ear nedshoul dmakeever y memberofourcommuni t yequal l ypr oud.

Si ncei t sf i r stseni orcl assi n1967,For tWor t hCount r yDayhasgr aduat ed 46val edi ct or i ans—23womenand23men.Somecont i nuedt hei reducat i oncl oset o home—atTexasChr i st i anUni ver si t y,Uni ver si t yofTexasatAust i n,TexasA&M andRi ce Uni ver si t y.Somewentwestt oSt anf or dUni ver si t yandCal i f or ni aI nst i t ut eofTechnol ogy; one,nor t ht oCar l et onCol l egei nMi nnesot a;andmany,east ,t oAmher stCol l ege,Cor nel l Uni ver si t y,Davi dsonCol l ege,DukeUni ver si t y,Pr i ncet onUni ver si t y,Wel l esl eyCol l ege, Wi l l i amsCol l egeandYal eUni ver si t y,wi t haquar t erofFWCD’ sval edi ct or i ansat t endi ng Har var dUni ver si t y.

Asampl i ngoft hepr of essi onsorcour sesofst udyoft he46val edi ct or i ansr eveal sgr eat var i et y.Onewor ksi ni nt er nat i onalr ealest at e;anot her ,asassi st antgener alcounselofa publ i cl yt r adedoi landgascompanyi nFor tWor t h;anot heri sal i censeddi et i ci anf or Sout her nMet hodi stUni ver si t y;anot herwor ksasaseni orvi cepr esi denti naf i nanci al ser vi cesf i r m whi l eser vi ngast hechai r manoft heboar doft heVanCl i bur nFoundat i on; andanot heri si nhi ssecondyearofaf i veyearor t hopaedi csur ger yr esi dencyat Vander bi l tUni ver si t y.Ret i r edandl i vi ngi nVi r gi ni aaf t erwor ki ngi nbanki ngandf i nancef or 40year s,FWCD’ sf i r stval edi ct or i ancomment edt hatwor ki ngasa“ seni orr i skof f i cerf or Chr ysl erFi nanci aldur i ngt het ur moi lof20072010[ …]wasexci t i ng. ”Anot herear l y val edi ct or i anhasr et i r edf r om Si l i conVal l ey,whi l eanot herwor kst her est i l las vi cepr esi dentoft echnol ogyf orasmal lcompany.Anot herwor ksasanengi neerf orAl con i nLosAngel es,whi l ear ecentval edi ct or i ani smaj or i ngi nbi omedi calengi neer i ngatDuke Uni ver si t y.Somechosecar eer si nhi ghereducat i on,as,f orexampl e,apr of essorof ast r onomyatUCLA,apr of essorofl awatTexasWesl eyanUni ver si t y,avi cechancel l or wi t ht heTexasSt at eUni ver si t ySyst em i nAust i n,apr of essori nt hechemi calphysi cs i nt er di sci pl i nar ypr ogr am att heLi qui dCr yst alI nst i t ut eatKentSt at eUni ver si t y,anda hi st or i anandedi t oratt heJour nalofSout her nHi st or yatRi ceUni ver si t y.Andonef or mer FWCDval edi ct or i an,i nhi scapaci t yasaFor ei gnSer vi ceof f i cer ,i si nt hemi dstofa oneyearappoi nt mentt ot heNat i onalSecur i t yCounci lwher ehei s“ par tofasmal lt eam t hatsuppor t st hepr esi dentonRussi anpol i cy. ” Si ncei t sf i rstseni orcl assi n1967,FortWort hCount ryDay hasgraduat ed46val edi ct ori ans—23womenand23men.

89 n‘ ei t onLobs Bar

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Despi t et hei rmanydi f f er ences,FWCD’ sval edi ct or i anshavesomer emar kabl e si mi l ar i t i es.Sever alment i onedbei ngpr oudpar ent sandaf eweveni ncl uded del i ght f ulpi ct ur esoft hei rspousesandchi l dr en.Someoft hosechi l dr enhave at t endedorar eat t endi ngFWCD,amongt hem,asetoft r i pl et swhowi l l gr aduat et hi sMay.Oft he46val edi ct or i ans,ei t heri nr esponset oemai l ed quest i onsori ni nt er vi ewsf ort heFal conQui l lwhent heywer ehi ghschool seni or s,t hemaj or i t yat t r i but edt hei racademi cachi evementpr i mar i l yt o sel f mot i vat i on.Theyal sospokeoft hei r“ wonder f ulandsuppor t i vepar ent s” who“ t aught[ t hem]t ol ovel ear ni ng[ …]andpr ovi dedamazi ngeducat i onal oppor t uni t i es. ”Mor et hanoneobser vedt hatt hei rf ami l i esencour aged,butdi d notpr essur e,t hem t oachi evei nt hei racademi cpur sui t s.Af ewspeci f i cal l y ment i onedt heposi t i vei nf l uenceofcl assmat eswhocr eat eda“ gr eat envi r onment , ”a“ cul t ur e[ …]suppor t i veofacademi cachi evement , ”andone asser t edt hathi scl ass“ hadsomanyt al ent edpeopl et hatanyoneofa hal f dozen[ …]mi ghthaveear ned[ t he]di st i nct i on”ofval edi ct or i an. ” Ever yr espondentacknowl edged,i nonewayoranot her ,t her ol eofFWCD’ s “ amazi ngt eacher s”i nhi sorheracademi csuccess.Onespokeoft he “ i nt el l ect ualcur i osi t y”model edbyt eacher s;anot her ,oft eacher swho pr ovi ded“ mot i vat i onandi nspi r at i on; ”andanot her ,oft eacher s“ whosett he st andar dspr et t yhi gh, ”encour agedi mpr ovementand“ showed[ hi mt hathe] coul ddobet t er . ”Oneemphasi zed“ [ w] hatal uxur yi twast oknowandt r ust t hat[ her ]FWCDt eacher s’door swer eal waysopenandt hatt her ewasnever anyt hi ngt hatwast ooi nsi gni f i cantt oask. ”MostofFWCD’ sval edi ct or i ans r ef er r edt ot hei nf l uenceofspeci f i ccl asses,suchasa“ sol i dpr epar at i oni n mat hemat i csandsci ence, ”t he“ emphasi sont hear t s, ”t he“ l oveofst udyi ng hi st or y”and“ howt odobasi chi st or i calr esear chandt odevel opi nf or med vi ewsont hebasi sofsomet i mesbi asedsour cemat er i al s, ”and“ anemphasi s onhowt owr i t eatt hecol l egel evelwhi l est i l lencour agi ngst udent s. ”One not edt hat“ t heexper i ence[ he]hadwor ki ngont heFWCDyear bookr esul t [ ed] i n[ hi s]doi ngf ourmor eyear sofphot ogr aphyandedi t i ngf ort heHar var d year book. ”Anot herdecl ar edt hathi spr of essor s“ t houghtof[ hi m]assomet hi ng ofananomal y:t heengi neerwhocoul dexpr esshi msel f , ”andanot herst at ed t hatheuseshi s“ f or ei gnl anguagesconst ant l y. ”

Despi t et hei rmanydi f f erences, FWCD’ sval edi ct ori anshave someremarkabl esi mi l ari t i es.

Someoft heear l i erval edi ct or i ansr ecal l ed“ t hehour swi t h t heWr i t i ngGui de”andi t s“ r i gi ddi sci pl i ne”andmost r espondent scomment edonhowt he“ abi l i t yt owr i t eand communi cat e”l ear nedatFWCDhel pedi nt hei rcol l ege and/ orpr of essi onalexper i ences.Aval edi ct or i anf r om t he 1990sdecl ar ed,“ Cl oser eadi ng,wr i t i ngandr ewr i t i ng, cr i t i calt hi nki ng,maki nganar gument ,eval uat i ngevi dence, i ndependentst udy,t i memanagement —al lt hesewer e i ndi spensabl eski l l st hatIt ookwi t hmef r om CDS. ”A1980s val edi ct or i anwr ot e,“ Col l egewasj ustanext endedchance t opr act i ceski l l st hatIl ear nedi nhi ghschool . ”Amor e r ecentval edi ct or i anst at edt hat“ FWCDpr ovi dedaper f ect envi r onmentt osucceedbyencour agi ngandpr ovi di ng wi t houtnecessar i l yr equi r i ng[ hi m]t obeordot hi ngsa cer t ai nway. ”Whenspeci f i cal l yaskedaboutt heef f ectof t hei racademi cexper i enceatFWCDont hei rcol l ege exper i ence,al lwhor espondedasser t edt hatt hei r exper i enceatFWCDmadet hei rt r ansi t i onf r om hi gh schoolt ocol l egeeasi erandpr epar edt hem wel lf ori t s chal l enges.Onedecl ar edt hatt he“ academi cenvi r onment atFWCD[ …]i nst i l l ed[ …]t hedet er mi nat i ont oseeki t s equali nbot h[ her ]under gr aduat eandgr aduat eschool exper i ence. ”

Onedecl aredt hatt he “academi cenvi ronment atFWCD [ …]i nst i l l ed [ …]t hedet ermi nat i ont o seeki t sequali nbot h [ her]undergraduat e andgraduat eschool experi ence. ”

Whi l esuchasser t i onsar eaf f i r mi ngf oranymemberoft he FWCDcommuni t y,If oundmostgr at i f yi ngandmemor abl e t her esponsest ot hel astquest i onaskedoft he val edi ct or anscont act edvi aemai l .Whenaskedaboutt he ef f ectt heFWCDexper i encehashadonhi sl i f esi nce col l ege,aval edi ct or i anf r om t he1970scomment edt hat si nceheandhi scl assmat eswer ewhatf oundi ng Headmast erPet erSchwar t zr ef er r edt oas“ pl ankhol der s, ” hewasal wayscomf or t abl ewi t hhi si nvol vementwi t h “ st ar t ups”i nt hecomput eri ndust r y.Anot herval edi ct or i an f r om t hesamedecadedecl ar ed,“ For tWor t hCount r yDay excel satt eachi ngst udent s‘ howt ol ear n, ’whi chhas pr ovedt obeagoodl i f eski l l[ . ] ”Tot hesamequest i on,a 1980sval edi ct or i anr espondedt hatFWCDpr ovi ded“ bot h t het ool st osucceedi nmanydi f f er entcont ext sandt he cur i osi t yt of i ghtagai nstt heal mostaut omat i cnar r owi ngof scope”exper i encedi nhi schosenmaj orandpr of essi on.

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Val edi ct or i ansf r om t he1970st hr ough2002al sospokeel oquent l yoft he f r i endshi pst heyf or medatFWCD,f r i endshi pst heyst i l lenj oy,nomat t erwher e t heyl i vet oday.Thewor dsofa1990sval edi ct or i ansum upbeaut i f ul l yt he r esponsesandexper i encesofal lt het al ent edmenandwomenr ecogni zedas For tWor t hCount r yDay’ sval edi ct or i ans:“ Tobeal i f el ongl ear ner ,t obe i nt el l ect ual l ycur i ous,t obet ol er antandr espect f ul ,t obei nt er est edi nnew i deasandnewpeopl e,t oval uesci enceandt hehumani t i esaswor t hypur sui t s, t obeapr oduct i veandgener ousmemberoft hecommuni t y—al lval uesi nst i l l ed andr ei nf or cedbymyCDSeducat i on. ” Tosuchel oquenceIcanonl yr espondwi t hahear t f el t ,buti nadequat e, t hankyout oal lt heval edi ct or i ansandal lt heot heryoungmenandwomenI havehadt hepl easur et ot eachandknowatFWCDandaspeci alt hankyout o al lt heval edi ct or i answhot ookt het i met oshar et hei rmemor i esandt hought s wi t hme: 1967Dar cyWal ker 1970Davi dJoelRenaud 1972Pet erEl l er yGr aves 1973Mat t hewAr nol dMal kan 1975Car l aKempThompson 1980Robi nBl umber gSel i nger 1981El i zabet hHi ggi nbot ham Her t el 1982AnnBar ksdal eHouse 1988KnoxCar ey 1989Bar onLobst ei n 1992Bet hanyJohnsonDyl ewski 2001Cl ai r eFl or shei m 2002GeofLeBus 2006JamesPr at t 2011 Kat her i neLi vi ngst on

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Thewordsofa1990sval edi ct ori ansum upbeaut i f ul l yt heresponsesand experi encesofal lt het al ent edmenandwomenrecogni zedasFortWort hCount ry Day’ sval edi ct ori ans:“Tobeal i f el ongl earner,t obei nt el l ect ual l ycuri ous,t obe t ol erantandrespect f ul ,t obei nt erest edi nnew i deasandnew peopl e,t oval uesci ence andt hehumani t i esaswort hypursui t s,t obeaproduct i veandgenerousmemberof t hecommuni t y—al lval uesi nst i l l edandrei nf orcedbymyCDSeducat i on. ”

TheFal conQui l l Seni orI s s ues19672012

Ar chi val Res ear chi scur r ent l ys eeki ngcopi esoft heMay1972, 1973and1976F al conQui l l .I fyouhaveacopyt os har e, pl eas econt actmemor i es @f wcd. com.