Class of 1966 Locomotive Award Presentation to Bill Leahy

We all might wonder: what is it that inspires us, or inspires the person sitting to our left or to our right, to be kind, to be helpful and generous, to be protective, to do something extraordinary, something of significant service to others?

Bill Leahy is such a person, and so, tonight, we honor Bill with the Class of 1966 Locomotive Award for two outstanding accomplishments both reflecting Princeton in the Nation’s Service and in the Service of all Humanity.

First, the amazing growth and success of Princeton AlumniCorps, and second, creating The High School Home Health Educational Foundation.

You see, Bill is a master in combining problems into creative and sustainable solutions. And Bill is a master of finding ways of helping others -- to help others.

Bill entered Princeton from the fabled New Trier High School where he excelled academically and was recognized for his contributions to music and student affairs.

He knew that choosing outstanding roommates was as important as choosing great professors and great courses. Bill chose well. His roommates included Jim Merritt, Lanny Jones, Bob Rawson, John McDonough, and Jody Kretzmann. All became lifelong close friends, confidants, and mentors.

Bill majored in biology, joined Cap and Gown and was our student representative on the Faculty Discipline Committee. Always an excellent student, Bill continued his medical training at Northwestern with residencies in Pediatrics and Adult and Pediatric Neurology.

Bob and Judy Rawson introduced Bill to the love of his life: Chris Miller, Mt. Holyoke ’71. Chris is one the co-founders of the renowned National Museum of Women in Arts in Washington D.C. and a lifelong museum educator. Together, they created a warm and welcoming home in Bethesda, MD. and together they raised two terrific and talented children: Eleanor, Dartmouth ’01 and Will, Princeton, ’04.

Someone said, “Bill always did everything right.”

Yes, he was doing everything right, but somehow, something didn’t quite feel right.

Bill wrote in the 25th Reunion Book, “I am happy, but not content. I would like to spend less time practicing medicine and more of my energy toward the problems facing the world.”

Wanting to do more and to give back, Bill, and New Trier and Princeton classmate, Tom Allison, joined the board of Princeton Project55.

You may remember that the Class of ’55 committed themselves to build a more just, equitable and sustainable society. They supported diverse community organizations and developed paid fellowships and summer internships for concerned Princeton students. Former Princeton President Shirley Tilghman said, “The Class of ’55 are like rock stars.” Ralph Nader famously said, “We don’t want our Princeton students just working in soup kitchens. We want them to gain the experience, the vision, and the capability to end world hunger.”

Lofty goals, but there were problems. There were problems with succession as the Class of ’55 was getting older, and there were the issues of what should be the University affiliation and how could a stronger campus presence could be achieved.

Bill was asked to become the president Princeton Project55 and was asked solve these vexing problems. Under Bill’s leadership Princeton Project55 got a new name, Princeton AlumniCorps, and Princeton AlumniCorps got a broader mission.

Its growth has been exponential.

It has now placed over 2,000 Princeton students in rewarding fellowships to learn the skills of civic involvement and to advance social change, and it has partnered with over 500 affiliated worldwide public service organizations, from global public health to community based learning, and from building civil societies to building character growth.

Bill has helped to keep the lofty ideas of ’55 alive and has also put AlumniCorps deeply inside Princeton’s DNA.

Bill’s desire to put more of his energy toward solving the problems facing the world has had both profound and lasting impact.

Bill has helped others put their lives in the Nation’s Service and their lives in the Service of all Humanity.

Thank you Bill.

But there is more.

In our 25th Reunion Book, Bill also wrote: “My dream is to start a program to train home health care workers to benefit under-educated, chronically unemployed individuals and simultaneously serve our ever increasing home bound senior population.”

Another lofty goal. But Bill didn’t rest. Bill actually did something to make this dream happen.

Bill, with the help of others, created The High School Home Health Educational Foundation.

The High School Home Health Educational Foundation is a community pathway for youths, not going to college, to enter the healthcare profession and assist our ever increasing aging and homebound senior population.

Many said, “Great idea, perfect fit, let’s get our high schools to help.”

So Bill said:

Yes. The royalties of this textbook will fund the program through the Foundation.”

The Foundation picks up all the students’ expenses: textbooks, scrubs, equipment, supports, and, If needed, funds for certification tests.

So, if your community has these needs, if your community wants a cookie cutter, shovel ready project to help both the elderly and the underserved youth of your area, ask Bill how to take two significant problems, combine them and get one fantastic solution.

Is this Princeton in the Nation’s Service? Yes.

In the Service for all Humanity? Yes.

We all know that Bill is a master in combining problems into creative and sustainable solutions.

We all know that Bill’s highest goal is to help others -- help others.

Let me close by telling a short story I recently read concerning a graduation of the High School Home Health Program.

There was not a dry eye in the room.

So, tonight, all of us in this room know that Bill Leahy has inspired others to be in the Nation’s Service and to be in the Service of all Humanity.

Tonight, we say congratulations and thank you for all you have done.

You are our 2022 Class of 1966, Locomotive Award winner.