team for winning five straight Scholastic Bowl games. Photo taken from the Scout archives.
Bradley University has seen 10 presidents since its foundation in 1897, and alumnus Gary Roberts (’70) assumes responsibilities as our 11th president Jan. 1, making him the third alumni who returned to the Hilltop as president.
The other two alumni presidents, David B. Owen (’29) and Martin G. “Jerry” Abegg (’47), led the university through times of change; Owen’s presidency oversaw Bradley’s shift from a polytechnic institute to a university, and Abegg picked up the lead after Talman Van Arsdale Jr.’s sudden departure in 1970.
While information on their university days is not as easily available, Robert’s is readily accessible through catalogued issues of The Scout. Roberts was heavily involved in the university speech team, the scholastic bowl team and the student Supreme Court.
B.J. Lawrence, associate dean of the Slane College of Communications and Fine Arts, said she remembered Roberts from when he was a student.
“I was a brand new faculty member at Bradley, and Gary was one of the first people I met on campus,” Lawrence said. “He was a member of the Bradley speech team and I was hired as part of my responsibilities to work with Bradley’s speech team, specifically with oratory persuasion. So, Gary was one of our stars, [and] he was always eloquent.”
Roberts was a student as well as a student leader in a time of controversy as well. More prominently during the ‘70s, Bradley’s campus was host to many protests against the Vietnam War and against racial prejudice.
Students on campus were engaged and active in their environment, and Roberts showed this through his engagement in student organizations. He acted as president of his sophomore class, student body treasurer his junior year, and student Supreme Court member his senior year. He was also associate student Supreme Court justice during the voting injunction concerning student body presidential ballots.
Student Body President Sarah Handler said leadership experience prepares people to be leaders in their career-fields, as well.
“Leadership roles as a student prepare you for leadership roles as a professional and as someone in the real working world,” Student Body President Sarah Handler said. “The skills you gain from being in leadership positions, especially where you have to work with a bunch of different people or organizing people are so transferable to any job you will ever have.”
Handler and Lawrence agree that being an alumni can also assist in becoming a better leader on a university level.
“I think any time you know and understand and have a background with the university as you’re coming into it as the leader, then it enhances your skills at understanding the needs and developing effective goals to help it move forward,” Lawrence said.
Roberts kept close ties with his alma mater before his arrival as newly chosen president. According to Lawrence, he has been very involved on campus and he spoke during the midyear commencement ceremony in 2011.
“He came to campus on a regular basis to meet with our sports communication students as a sports lawyer,” Lawrence said. “Roberts always gave back to the university, especially with our sports communication programs. He was here for the Steiner symposium and worked with some of the students who were involved with that.”
According to Handler, he seemed open to student feedback and involvement, something that will be important in the coming years.
