newsmakers | 1960s

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Newsmaker: Leonard Wilson ’62

Leonard Wilson ’62 is the recipient of the 2019 F. William Stahl Award, the highest honor bestowed by YMCA Alumni, the national association of retired YMCA professional directors. The award is given in recognition of dedication and commitment to the YMCA, the YMCA profession, and the art of written communications. Wilson is a member of the Central Atlantic Chapter and is past-president of YMCA Alumni nationally. He was inducted into the YMCA Hall of Fame in 2016. At Wesleyan, Wilson majored in history and earned a master’s degree from the University of Louisville.

Categories Class Notes | 1960s, newsmakers | 1960sPosted on

Eugene Stanley ’62

Eugene Stanley ’62, received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Leicester in July. Stanley has had a long academic career teaching physics, physiology, chemistry, and biomedical engineering at MIT and Boston University. His main research focus is the statistical physics of materials. Stanley is an honorary professor at Eotvos Lorand University and at Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Pavia, and is a chair or member of several science organizations. Stanley majored in physics at Wesleyan and earned his PhD from Harvard University.

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Stephen H. Oleskey ’64

Stephen H. Oleskey '64 has been elected the chair of the board of directors of the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, the largest single provider of funds for civil legal aid in that state. Oleskey, a senior partner with Hale and Dorr, is also general counsel to the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund as well as president of the Massachusetts Equal Justice Coalition. He received his law degree from the New York University School of Law and has served as Massachusetts Deputy Attorney General, president of Greater Boston Legal Services, and chair of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association. In addition, he has just completed a term as an alumni-elected member of Wesleyan's Board of Trustees.
Stephen H. Oleskey ’64 has been elected the chair of the board of directors of the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, the largest single provider of funds for civil legal aid in that state. Oleskey, a senior partner with Hale and Dorr, is also general counsel to the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund as well as president of the Massachusetts Equal Justice Coalition. He received his law degree from the New York University School of Law and has served as Massachusetts Deputy Attorney General, president of Greater Boston Legal Services, and chair of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association. In addition, he has just completed a term as an alumni-elected member of Wesleyan’s Board of Trustees.
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Steven B. Pfeiffer ’69

STEVEN B. PFEIFFER '69 was elected chairman of Fulbright & Jaworski, an international law firm. Pfeiffer, former chair of Wesleyan's board of trustees, is the sixth chairman of Fulbright since the firm's founding in 1919. Outgoing chairman Gus Blackshear said in the firm's announcement that Pfeiffer is "a brilliant lawyer whose strength is in directing complex international transactions around the globe."
STEVEN B. PFEIFFER ’69 was elected chairman of Fulbright & Jaworski, an international law firm. Pfeiffer, former chair of Wesleyan’s board of trustees, is the sixth chairman of Fulbright since the firm’s founding in 1919. Outgoing chairman Gus Blackshear said in the firm’s announcement that Pfeiffer is “a brilliant lawyer whose strength is in directing complex international transactions around the globe.”
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David Rhodes ’68

The School for Visual Arts in New York City honored David Rhodes '68 on his 25-year anniversary as president of the institution. During his tenure, SVA grew from just under 2,000 students to more than 3,000. In addition, SVA's seven graduate programs were added, also the result of his leadership. "The greatest challenge of my career," he notes, "has been seeing our transformation from an art school with three-year courses to an art college with graduate programs." An avid photographer, Rhodes was further honored with an exhibition of his work, The Moving Line, at the celebration. A graduate of Wesleyan's College of Letters, he pursued graduate training in philosophy and the economics of education at Columbia University. He is a Distinguished Alumnus of Wesleyan.
The School for Visual Arts in New York City honored David Rhodes ’68 on his 25-year anniversary as president of the institution. During his tenure, SVA grew from just under 2,000 students to more than 3,000. In addition, SVA’s seven graduate programs were added, also the result of his leadership. “The greatest challenge of my career,” he notes, “has been seeing our transformation from an art school with three-year courses to an art college with graduate programs.” An avid photographer, Rhodes was further honored with an exhibition of his work, The Moving Line, at the celebration. A graduate of Wesleyan’s College of Letters, he pursued graduate training in philosophy and the economics of education at Columbia University. He is a Distinguished Alumnus of Wesleyan.
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Jeffrey Richards ’69

Jeffrey Richards '69 was awarded a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play for producing Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet. The awards ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall on June 5, 2005. Richards' recent producing credits include Matthew Barber's Enchanted April; A Thousand Clowns, starring Tom Selleck; Gore Vidal's The Best Man; Never the Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story; and The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged). Some of his upcoming projects include The Great American Trailer Park Musical; Herman Wouk's The Caine Mutiny Court Martial; and a revival of The Pajama Game. Richards holds a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.
Jeffrey Richards ’69 was awarded a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play for producing Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet. The awards ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall on June 5, 2005. Richards’ recent producing credits include Matthew Barber’s Enchanted April; A Thousand Clowns, starring Tom Selleck; Gore Vidal’s The Best Man; Never the Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story; and The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged). Some of his upcoming projects include The Great American Trailer Park Musical; Herman Wouk’s The Caine Mutiny Court Martial; and a revival of The Pajama Game. Richards holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.
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Robert Weisbuch ’68

Robert Weisbuch '68, previously president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation in Princeton, was named president of Drew University in New Jersey. An English major as an undergraduate at Wesleyan, Weisbuch earned his Ph.D. in philosophy at Yale. Says Barbara Caspersen, chair of Drew University's board of trustees, "I believe everyone who met Dr. Weisbuch during our search process was struck by his commitment to the liberal arts and by the high quality of his academic and administrative credentials."
Robert Weisbuch ’68, previously president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation in Princeton, was named president of Drew University in New Jersey. An English major as an undergraduate at Wesleyan, Weisbuch earned his Ph.D. in philosophy at Yale. Says Barbara Caspersen, chair of Drew University’s board of trustees, “I believe everyone who met Dr. Weisbuch during our search process was struck by his commitment to the liberal arts and by the high quality of his academic and administrative credentials.”
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Lynn T. Kozlowski ’69

Lynn T. Kozlowski ’69, professor and chair of the University of Buffalo’s Department of Health Behavior and interim dean of the School of Public Health and Health Professions since September 2007, was appointed dean of the school after a national search. David L. Dunn, vice president for health sciences, who announced the selection, said that Kozlowski readily rose to the top of a strong group of academicians in the candidate pool, noting his “exemplary background as a well–funded public health investigator with a forte in studying human behavior as it relates to personal and population health, as well as very strong teaching, mentoring and administrative skills.” An English major at Wesleyan, Kozlowski earned his doctorate at Columbia University.
Lynn T. Kozlowski ’69, professor and chair of the University of Buffalo’s Department of Health Behavior and interim dean of the School of Public Health and Health Professions since September 2007, was appointed dean of the school after a national search. David L. Dunn, vice president for health sciences, who announced the selection, said that Kozlowski readily rose to the top of a strong group of academicians in the candidate pool, noting his “exemplary background as a well–funded public health investigator with a forte in studying human behavior as it relates to personal and population health, as well as very strong teaching, mentoring and administrative skills.” An English major at Wesleyan, Kozlowski earned his doctorate at Columbia University.
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Edward C. Knox ’61

Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, Middlebury College has established the Edward C. Knox [’61] Chair in International Studies, in honor of his 35 years of teaching, research, and administration. At Wesleyan, he was a French major and fondly remembers mentors Carl Viggiani and George Creeger. Knox earned his PhD at Yale and joined the Middlebury faculty, where he taught courses in French language, literature, and civilization. His most recent research deals with how Americans and the French write about each other. He held several administrative positions, including vice president for languages, vice president for academic affairs, and acting president. He and his wife, Huguette, now divide their time between Middlebury and Paris.
Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, Middlebury College has established the Edward C. Knox [’61] Chair in International Studies, in honor of his 35 years of teaching, research, and administration. At Wesleyan, he was a French major and fondly remembers mentors Carl Viggiani and George Creeger. Knox earned his PhD at Yale and joined the Middlebury faculty, where he taught courses in French language, literature, and civilization. His most recent research deals with how Americans and the French write about each other. He held several administrative positions, including vice president for languages, vice president for academic affairs, and acting president. He and his wife, Huguette, now divide their time between Middlebury and Paris.
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Lee M. Mitchell ’65

Lee M. Mitchell '65 was elected chair of the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that since 1934 has been dedicated to improving economic development, quality of life, and equity of opportunity in the greater Chicago metropolitan region. A partner with Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, he has been a member of the MPC board for 22 years and has already served as board chair once previously, in addition to holding other offices as well. A government major at Wesleyan, he earned a J.D. degree from the University of Chicago.
Lee M. Mitchell ’65 was elected chair of the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that since 1934 has been dedicated to improving economic development, quality of life, and equity of opportunity in the greater Chicago metropolitan region. A partner with Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, he has been a member of the MPC board for 22 years and has already served as board chair once previously, in addition to holding other offices as well. A government major at Wesleyan, he earned a J.D. degree from the University of Chicago.