COLCHESTER, Vt. (AP) – A 1972 St. Michael’s College graduate has pledged $1.1 million in honor of a professor whose teachings helped shape his life.
Brian Lacey’s donation will create the Henry G. Fairbanks Endowed Chair for the Humanities, college President Marc vanderHeyden announced Thursday.
Lacey, who creates, produces and distributes television programming worldwide, was an American studies major at St. Michael’s and the college’s first Rhodes Scholar nominee. He earned a master’s degree in literature from Clark University.
“Henry had a tremendous impact on me and going forward in my life,” Lacey said from his office in New York City.
“His personal philosophy taught me how to read, think and reflect. He taught me how to be engaged in life and most importantly, he stressed the importance to give.”
Fairbanks founded St. Michael’s humanities program and helped establish the St. Michael’s Playhouse. He also helped set up the Vermont Academy of Arts and Letters.
A professor from 1946 to 1981, Fairbanks was famous for his oratorical style and his energetic engagement of students. He also was known for challenging students to connect literature, music and art through appreciative understanding – something to which Lacey, who had several classes with Fairbanks, can attest.
“He had a remarkable ability to synthesize these areas of human expression and helped us as students understand the flow of ideas,” he said of Fairbanks, who died in 1986.
Lacey recently established the Kilkea Foundation, which encourages excellence in the humanities, arts and sciences. He said the newly established chair in Fairbanks’ honor should ensure that the study of humanities at St. Michael’s will “remain central to the college’s mission.”
“It is my hope and belief it will draw another great teacher who will be sitting in a position to introduce students to great ideas and books,” he said.
AP-ES-05-21-04 1031EDT
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