President, Davidson College
The man who said, "yum!" to cucumber and butter sandwiches
Bobby Vagt
By Marilynn Bowler
 
Quoting Davidson College's motto, …"Let learning be cherished …where liberty has arisen …" the recently retired and very eloquent Leland Park introduced Davidson College President Bobby Vagt to an enrapt audience and within twenty-five short minutes Bobby held over two hundred members of our uptown Rotary Club in the palm of his hand. With intellect and wit, he addressed topics ranging from patriotism and humanity to moral obligation for fiduciary responsibility and economic access to education, as well as citing snippets of reasons to hope.
 
Described by an obviously proud Leland Park as "the students' president," Leland walked us through Bobby's meteoric rise from having earned his BS degree in Psychology at Davidson to a Masters of Divinity with High Honors from Duke University, through his ordination as a Presbyterian Minister to his years as a prison warden, then Deputy Corrections Commissioner and on to CEO of Seagull Energy Corporation in Texas before stepping into the President's office at Davidson College ten years ago. Leland thoughtfully and rightfully heralded Bobby's endless list of accomplishments at the college, including the incredibly successful $250 million campaign which came in at a whopping $272M, and his committed efforts to substantially increase the ratio of minority students at the college while addressing the issue of affordability.
 
Finishing his introduction with, "Davidson has flourished where Vagt has arisen," Leland announced, "I'm proud to present my last boss … ." Promising to "wax bombastic" in talking of his years at Davidson, Bobby did not fail to do so. Nor did he fail to intrigue us with his quotation from the Roman historian, author and orator, Gaius Cornelius Tacitus, "Patriotism is entering into praiseworthy competition with one's ancestors," which segued into Bobby's comments regarding today's graduates who are entering into a world redefined; a world of change and turmoil.
 
He talked of the importance of listening to each other. "This seeming unwillingness to even listen to another is not reserved for the large issues of politics, race, war, religion, ethics, morality, and lifestyle," he said. "No issue seems too small to engender such a response. Nor is it limited to relationships between countries or interest groups, but seems to plague relationships between individuals, as well."
 
He spoke of our responsibility to keep the doors in education wide open. As they begin to close due to the price tag which scares many students away, we - in our country - need to be sure those doors stay open, thereby offering great reasons for hope. In closing, it was Bobby's turn to touch our hearts with three true stories reflecting the stuff of which Davidson students are made … the senior who turned himself in for cheating on his finals, the woman who turned down a well-deserved scholarship so that a student with a greater need could attend Davidson, and a student volunteer who worked all year and saved for a new and special computer but then donated it to a local grade school for its special need students.
 
Today we had a glimpse of Bobby Vagt's Davidson College. Upon his retirement, the shoes to fill will be mammoth.
 
Head Table: Pat Millen, Fred Lowrance, Luther Moore, Leland Park, Julius Melton, Martin Waters;
Invocation: Catherine Browning
Visitors & Guests: Mark Norman; Health & Happiness: Ed Driggs; Song: Meg McElwain

• Condolences are expressed to Rick and Gina Jackson in the death of Gina's Father, and to John and Julie Stedman in the death of Julie's Mother.
 
• Thanks to Classroom Central volunteers: Jeff Blackey, Ruth Castleberry, Mike Crum, Michael Elder, John Johnson and Tom Robertson.
 
• Tony Marciano is looking for additional participants in the Friday Friends program. Participants commit to going to lunch with someone of a different race on the last Friday of each month for six months. There's a meet and greet at 5:30 May 1st at Myers Park United Methodist Church, or contact Tony at 704-334-4635, ext 202.
  
• Richard Bailey expressed his opinion in the Forum, saying WTVI is a jewel for its wealth of award-winning local programming; Major Christine Smith (Todd Smith) was photographed with Teresa Earnhardt, who announced she will redesign the Salvation Army's Center of Hope shelter; Steve Meckler wrote the caption for the Observer's weekly cartoon contest; David Erdman was elected chairman of Mecklenburg Democratic Party; Tim Newman and Katie Tyler were among Charlotte leaders participating in the Playground Build at Piney Grove Elementary School.
 
• President Luther thanked Buddy Chatfield and members of the Sergeant-at-Arms committee for their dedication and hard work each week.
 
• Carol Jordan announced the Matching Grant application for St. Xavier's School Godavari in Nepal has been approved. The club's donation of $5,115 will be matched with funds from District 7680, RI, and the Rotary Club of Kathmandu to bring the total donation to $18,055. These funds will be used to buy books, computers, computer programs, and reference books, such as encyclopedias and dictionaries. Congratulations to Carol and committee members Leland Park, Thomas Moore, and Bill Nichols.
 
• Meg McElwain will chair next year's music committee and has asked for help to enhance the weekly singing by having 'host' performances from outside groups or individuals. Please contact Meg at meg@magnoliamarketing.net if you know anyone that would like to perform (at no charge to the club).
  
• John Snyder introduced Interact Club member Taylor Westfall, who represented Myers Park High School in the American Freedom Association Essay Contest. While in New York, Taylor had the opportunity to read her speech to the board of the United Nations. Taylor's award winning essay was entitled "Why should the US care what is happening in other nations and should we get involved and if so how?"
 
• You have one more week to pledge support to the Rotary Scholarship Found. Total funds to date: $16,920. Goal: $20,000 (to be achieved by the end of April). Donations are payable to The Rotary Foundation DAF. Mail your check to the Rotary office.