President Emeritus Robert A. Chapman, who served as the second president of Middlesex Community College from 1976- to1989, received an honorary degree from MxCC for his longstanding dedication and service to the college. This is only the second time in the college’s history that an honorary degree has been conferred upon a distinguished and respected contributor to the school. Marc S. Herzog, chancellor of the Connecticut Community Colleges, presented the degree to Mr. Chapman during MxCC’s 44th graduation ceremony, which was held on June 2.
Mr. Chapman aggressively pursued – and achieved – numerous goals during his presidency including the creation of the Meriden Center and the expansion of the College’s outreach to Old Saybrook. He helped establish the Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing program, which today remains the only one of its kind in the state, and one of the best in New England. He also was involved in opening the child care center on campus, and was instrumental in incorporating the MxCC Foundation. Chapman Hall, which is one of the most important and central buildings on campus, was named in his honor.
“Community colleges have played, and are playing, a vital role in American society, and Middlesex Community College is among the best,” Mr. Chapman said during the ceremony. “The faculty, students, and staff of the college should be proud of their contribution to that vital role, and the community should be proud of them. I wish this college continued success, under extremely difficult current conditions, in continuing to bring quality higher education to a broad diversity of students from the area.”
Mr. Chapman earned his B.A. degree in sociology from Northeastern University in Boston and his M.A. degree in psychology from Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. In addition, he spent a year at Stanford University in California. He came to MxCC from Corning Community College in New York, where he served as Dean of Instruction, Dean of Students, and Associate Professor of Psychology. His term as president at MxCC was interrupted for one year in 1982-1983 when he accepted the role of Interim President at Tunxis Community College. He returned to MxCC in 1983 and continued as President until 1989.
“I am very proud to have Mr. Chapman back on campus and to show off all the strides we have made as an institution of higher learning,” Dr. Jonathan M. Daube, president of MxCC, said. “Our current successes are his legacy, in part. Our faculty is the best it has ever been, our students work at a very competitive level, and our graduates, including these newest candidates, are enjoying wonderful successes in an extremely wide variety of careers. We are appreciative of his contributions and are thrilled to have him back on campus to receive this honorary degree.”
In the days when Mr. Chapman was delivering commencement speeches as president of the college, he often told graduates, “The knowledge you have increases the power you have to make choices. Your knowledge can win you a freedom virtually denied to many less educated than you. Don’t be timid: use your knowledge to improve your own life and the lives of others.” This has been his philosophy in his own life, and is the message he continues to impart on those he influences.
“The students graduating in the class of 2011 have benefited from the values and principles of educational excellence instilled at Middlesex Community College by President Chapman many decades ago,” Chancellor Herzog said during the ceremony. “The Connecticut Community College System's nationally recognized Minority Fellowship Program was an idea brought by President Chapman to the Council of Presidents 25 years ago. He was also one the college presidents responsible for the founding of the Community College Center for Teaching Excellence which continues today providing the opportunity for faculty professional development statewide. Robert Chapman has provided an extraordinary legacy of educational excellence to this college and to our state system of colleges.”
Founded in 1966 as a branch campus of Manchester Community College, Middlesex Community College (www.mxcc.commnet.edu) is an independent member of the Connecticut Community College System. The school offers more than 50 degree or certificate programs on its three locations: the main, 38-acre campus in Middletown, the downtown Meriden Center, and the shoreline in Old Saybrook. The college promotes understanding, learning, ethics, and self-discipline by encouraging critical thinking. Current enrollment exceeds 2,950 full and part-time students, and 1,600 continuing education students.
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