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For more information contact mark.a.kinders@uwrf.edu or brenda.k.bredahl@uwrf.edu.
Distinguished Alumnus Shares Life’s Lessons
[photos] [video]
By Lisa Stratton
MARCH 2, 2007—The University of Wisconsin – River Falls honored
two of its outstanding alumni at Distinguished Alumni Day on Feb. 16.
Events were held in the new University Center and the Wyman Education
Building to pay tribute to both of the 2006 Distinguished Alumni, William
T. Boehm, Ph.D, and the late Dr. Donald Babbitt.
Boehm, a 1970 graduate of UWRF and a senior vice president and president
of manufacturing for Kroger, Co., provided a keynote speech on his 10
most valuable life lessons.
An ardent fan of Falcon athletics, Boehm began by remarking on the recent
victories of the Falcon Men's Hockey team, before announcing that he would
present his life lessons in NBC-TV talk show host Dave Letterman's Top-10
fashion.
"My life lesson number 10 is that River Falls was a great foundation.
I was the first in my extended family to go to college. My high school
agricultural teacher was a River Falls graduate, and he encouraged me
to attend UWRF as well," said Boehm. "Never doubt what you have
here at the university. You couldn't wish for a better environment."
Boehm went on to speak on the value of hard work, persistence, passion,
values and the willingness to be flexible when following career paths.
He also pointed out the insignificance of a person's position or so-called
‘power.’
"Real success is in the ability to lead, not to coerce by position
or power," explained Boehm, a former senior economist on he President's
Council of Economic Advisors and Grand President of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity.
"The higher you go on the corporate ladder, the more this lesson
comes true. The landscape is littered with CEOs who didn't learn that."
At the heart of Boehm's speech was an affirmation that family values and
ethics are not at odds with a successful career.
"The most important lessons I've learned are that personal ethics
do matter a great deal and that they are compatible with life success,"
said Boehm.
UWRF students, many of whom expressed an interest in following in Boehm's
footsteps, filled most of the seats in the audience.
"I really appreciated what he said about having a plan and being
flexible," said Erin Luedtke, a sophomore from Hartford, Wis. "I'd
like to work in the field of agricultural economics someday/"
Boehm was welcomed to the university by Chancellor Don Betz, who also
spoke to the audience after Boehm finished.
"Bill's message was highly relevant to all of us,” said Betz.
“He confirmed that he never has stopped learning. His focus on developing
one's talents and serving others fits so well with UW-River Falls' mission,
values and vision."
Betz also expressed that alumni involvement richly enhances the university.
"UWRF lauds its outstanding graduates as a way of recognizing excellence
in their field of endeavor and as a mechanism to reconnect them to the
university. They are living role models for our current students,"
said Betz.
Dr. Donald Babbitt also was lauded as a Distinguished Alumni posthumously
for his extensive work in pediatric radiology. A 1942 graduate of UWRF,
Babbitt was the foremost contributer to the discovery of a disease called
pancreaticobiliary maljunction, a condition of the pancreas.
Babbitt's wife, Katherine Babbitt, attended the event on his behalf and
spoke to a university anatomy class about Dr. Babbitt.
"He was honest and fair,” said Katherirne. “Dr. Babbitt
was intelligent, honest, forthright, caring, and most of all interested
in helping people to healthy lives."
Laura Franz, a senior from Elk Mound, Wis., says that hearing about Dr.
Babbitt's career and medical discoveries inspired her to reach for new
heights.
"Learning about Dr. Babbitt made me think that I can make bigger,
better things happen in my career," said Franz.
Dr. Babbitt was also a member of the U.S. Army, serving from 1947 to 1949
as chief of radiology at the 250th Army Station Hospital in Germany. Babbitt
was also a widely published author and professor at the Medical College
of Wisconsin.
"Teaching was his favorite by far,” said his wife. “He
never passed on an opportunity to explain exactly what he was doing or
looking for when performing or interpreting a study. He knew a strong
education was the basis upon which success is achieved."
Katherine Babbitt also described the advice that her husband gave to medical
students. "Do it because you love medicine and people. It would be
difficult to find a more challenging, interesting, innovative, and rewarding
profession than the practice of medicine," said Babbitt. "Never
forget how the patient feels and what they want."
Distinguished Alumni Day wrapped up with a tour of the new University
Center, the Dairy Learning Center, and a luncheon honoring both current
and past distinguished alumni.
"This year's recipients reflect the outstanding tradition of our
alumni using their UW-River Falls education to lead their professions
and communities,” said Nancy Devine, executive director of University
Advancement and president of the UWRF Foundation. “We are extremely
proud of Dr. Boehm’s and Dr. Babbitt's achievements and appreciate
the opportunity to share their stories with our students, faculty and
staff."
The UWRF Distinguished Alumni award has been given alumni who demonstrate
exceptional leadership and service in their careers and communities since
1959. The UW-River Falls Foundation will announce the Distinguished Alumni
for 2007 later this spring.
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Last updated:
Monday, 12-Mar-2007 12:09:12 CDT
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