Dear Friends of the Pub Quiz,
I was scheduled to introduce Larry Vanderhoef on the evening that he passed away.
When Battle of the Books organizer Shelley Dunning and I were deciding a few months ago who would introduce whom at her wonderful October 15 fundraiser for the Hattie Weber Museum, I jumped at the chance to introduce former UC Davis Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef. I knew the other three authors (John Lescroart, Kim Stanley Robinson, and Naomi Williams) better than I knew the former Chancellor, but I chose Larry because he is one of the reasons that today I call myself a Davisite. To speak for a few minutes about the long-serving Chancellor of your favorite university requires that you speak about the university itself. During Larry’s time, the university grew in size, grew steadily in the estimation of competing sports teams and the U.S. News and World Report, and grew by millions the research and endowment dollars that poured into UC Davis coffers, giving our faculty more opportunities, and making the UC Davis experience more accessible for underrepresented students.
These are perhaps the most impressive accomplishments of Larry Vanderhoef, though none of them is the most important to me. When I think of Larry Vanderhoef, I admire the man the most for these four qualities:
- Larry’s commitment to the arts. Who would expect that a biochemist from Perham, Minnesota, population about 1,500 when Larry was born there, would be responsible for the grandest center for the performing arts this side of the Kennedy Center in my former home of Washington DC? I would love to see more of our campus scientists follow Larry’s lead and pledge themselves to the arts that feed our souls.
- Larry’s commitment to students. As a Chancellor, Larry was visible, accessible, and present for UC Davis students. A constant attendee to sporting events, a silent and affirming presence at the Undergraduate Research Conference, and a tireless proponent of student scholarships, Larry considered students in every decision he made. One of my star students from 2003 was nominated for a number of undergraduate scholarships and awards, and thus got to attend a number of award ceremonies with the Chancellor. For years thereafter Larry would ask me about Melissa, and I would always have an update to share that would make him smile.
- Larry’s humanity. I attended the Chancellor’s fall retreat a week after the events of September 11th, 2001, and at that event and thereafter I heard Larry speak often about his empathy for the students who, like all of us, were trying to make sense of the new challenges we were facing as a nation. More personally, the summer after he stepped down from his position as Chancellor, Larry attended all the talks I gave at the Summer Institute on Teaching and Technology, and during the lunch break asked me curious and sympathetic questions about Jukie, my son with special needs.
- Larry’s humility. I had many conversations with Larry Vanderhoef, but my favorite Larry memory involved no words spoken by either one of us. A number of years ago Larry biked over to the Voorhies Hall courtyard to stand in the back of a crowd that was hearing celebratory talks about the 20 year anniversary of the lauded University Writing Program journal Writing on the Edge. Larry laughed when we laughed, applauded when we applauded, and then, just before we broke for refreshments, mounted his bike to head off to the next event in his busy schedule. Larry supported the writing program faculty by listening and by admiring the success of his campus colleagues, but without ever needing to take his turn behind the microphone, or even to be noticed that he was there.
What a fine man. I agree with Joseph Campbell, who said, “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” I am grateful to have known Larry Vanderhoef, and I stand with all UC Davis affiliates who will remember him as we long benefit from his extraordinary gifts.
Tonight’s Pub Quiz will feature questions about patience, Andy Garcia and others of his ilk, animals in elevators, the cod diet, a household of daughters, that which pleases, loser jackets, people named Lucy, electromagnetics, the Spirit of rapid diminishment, important cities, modern-day zombie infestations, Oscar-winners, books you have heard of by authors you haven’t, contemporary politics, Alabama, BCS, foolish feuds, Juliet hailing Romeo, music facts pulled from the New York Times, Italian words and phrases, that which surrounds, American heroes killed by American authorities, conductors, coaches, people named after favorite professional wrestlers, cars in Connecticut, Californians, beverages, animal species, and Shakespeare.
I hope you can join us this evening for some raucous fun. An even better microphone has been ordered and tested to ensure that we can celebrate trivia without restrictions.
Your Quizmaster
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Here are three questions from last week’s quiz:
- Mottos and Slogans. What Republican candidate for U.S. President has been using the political slogan “Heal. Inspire. Revive.”?
- Internet Culture. What popular tower defense video game has both a V and a Z in its title?
- Batman. Bob Kane first called one of Batman’s vehicles the Batmobile in the first year of what decade?
P.S. There will be a special guest at Kate’s table tonight. Her brother Andy is visiting from Chicago. Feel free to stop by to welcome him to Davis!