Greetings Friends and Colleagues:
As some of you are aware, Dr. Mitchem and
I attended the funeral for Senator Claiborne de Borda Pell this past Monday,
1/5/2009. It was a deeply moving occasion during which we witnessed
powerful and thoughtful words of tribute about the outstanding life of Senator
Pell from the Honorable Edward M. Kennedy, Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Honorable
Jack Reed, among others. Indeed, it was a privilege for both Dr. Mitchem
and I to be present at the home-going gathering for this great statesmen, for
whom The Pell Institute has been named. I was able to extend our
condolences and well wishes to Senator Pell’s wife, Nuala Pell, and many
other members of the Pell family.
Please visit the Pell Institute website: http://www.pellinstitute.org/
to read a fuller statement of condolence
from The Pell Institute and COE. Also, please click on the link below to
watch the ABC 6 News video entitled, Those Helped Most by Pell Pay Tribute, where a ABC 6 news reporter captured on video a statement by Dr.
Mitchem about the significance of Senator Pell’s contribution to higher
education, as we stood in line to be seated in Trinity Episcopal Church where
the funeral was held in Newport, Rhode Island.
I finally want to extend my gratitude to
Tom Mortenson, Pell Sr. Scholar and David Evans, Pell Advisory Committee
Member, as well as Sarah Flanagan, Vice President for Government Relations and
Policy, NAICU, and Dr. Brenda Dann-Messier, President Dorcas Place, both long
time COE and Pell Institute friends who were also there with us at the funeral
and extended their respect for the life and great works of Senator Pell.
If you have further comments or words of condolences and tribute please
feel free to e-mail me. Thank you.
Peace,
Chandra
Chandra Taylor
Smith, Ph.D.
Vice
President of Research & Director
THE PELL INSTITUTE
for the Study of
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