Taken by Surprise
Grateful alums used Reunion ’97 as an opportunity to honor an influential teacher.

By Sharna Fabiano

Amid long tables full of lemonade and potato salad, chuckles quieted at the traditional all-class Reunion luncheon on the Quad. President Richard H. Hersh primed the crowd for a surprise announcement, and then called four names to the front of the tent: Colarulli, Medici, Celli, and DiGangi.

DiGangi - Joseph P. DiGangi, retiring professor of political science - recalls the moment like a film replayed in slow motion: "Paul [Colarulli '72], who was sitting next to me, said, 'Listen up, Joe,' and I turned and heard my name. The shock was unbelievable. I was absolutely stunned."

Hersh announced that alumni and alumnae had raised funds sufficient to create the Colleges' first-ever endowed professorship, to be named in DiGangi's honor. Colarulli, now at the front of the tent, sheltered from the bright Reunion sun, read the citation: "For 30 years . . . you have shared your talent, time, and special gifts with our students. . . . Indeed, your Constitutional Law class has become legendary."

"He got a long, warm standing ovation from the crowd," recalls Art Medici '71, "and that really captured the spirit behind the professorship."

Rich Wasserman '70 came up with idea. From the time he first arrived on campus, in 1966, he'd heard about the Colleges' comparatively small endowment, and wanted to address that in his gift to The Campaign. And at the same time he counts himself among the many, many students and alums who enjoy an enduring personal relationship with DiGangi.

"Working on a named professorship," Wasserman says, "served the dual purpose of honoring a teacher who had made a major contribution to the Colleges and providing a fund-raising effort with instant recognition and appeal to thousands of alumni and alumnae."

Wasserman mentioned the idea roughly two years ago to Frank Young '68, who was also enthusiastic. Word spread to key supporters (and former DiGangi students): Colarulli, Medici, Andy Celli '87, and Glenn Satty '70, among others. Already, nearly 50 friends and former students have made five-year pledges to the professorship, and fund raising continues. A minimum of $750,000 must be raised to support the appointment. When the full endowment is secured, the Joseph P. DiGangi Chair will be awarded to a member of the current faculty, as recognition of the appointee's teaching excellence.

"It's the easiest fund-raising project I've ever done," Colarulli admits. "There were so many alums who recognized Joe as one of the greatest professors at the Colleges, and who wanted to participate in honoring him."

Managing to keep the fund raising a secret for two years was a large part of both the fun and the challenge, and definitely worth the reaction at the occasion of DiGangi's retirement. Says Celli, "He was the seminal person in my intellectual development. He was my honors adviser, my mentor, so it was great to be standing behind him watching his neck turn red!"

DiGangi terms this honor the "capstone" of a career that has seen rounds of curriculum revision, the creation of off-campus study programs in Washington, D.C., and London, years as the pre-law adviser, and thousands of hours of contact with students and colleagues.

"It's wonderful for me," he adds, "that my name will continue to be associated with Hobart and William Smith."

At the same time, says Wasserman, honoring DiGangi speaks to the values of the institution. Small liberal arts colleges have the advantage of encouraging close intellectual bonds between faculty and students. In that respect, he says, "Joe DiGangi epitomized my experience at Hobart and William Smith."