庆祝火博体育的传奇:48届的比莉·蒂施

With touching tributes from family, 学生, faculty, and College leaders, Skidmore College recognized storied alumna, trustee, and donor Wilma “Billie” Stein Tisch ’48 以她的名字命名雄心勃勃的新科学中心.    

The new Billie Tisch综合科学中心, the largest single academic project in College history, reflects both her profound generosity to Skidmore over many decades 以及她对学院未来的愿景.    

5月20日星期五，学院举行了新设施的命名仪式和落成典礼 leaders past and present spoke about her numerous contributions to Skidmore, recalling how Billie, who served on the Board of Trustees from 1994 to 2014, was the first trustee 发言赞成科学大楼，甚至提出了它的名字.    

“It was Billie who spoke up and 说 in her quiet way, ‘We should call it “the Center 综合科学.“这个名字，在今天看来是那么明显，那么有效 captures our purpose, was the product of Billie Tisch’s own creative thought,” recalled 名誉主席Philip A. Glotzbach. “比我能说出名字的任何人， 比莉·蒂施体现了慷慨的美德，她回应了很多人，但是 我们很荣幸她一直赋予火博体育最高优先权 她的慈善事业.”   

Four former chairs of Skidmore’s Board of Trustees, Suzanne Corbet 托马斯。 '62, Janet L. 59岁的惠特曼、琳达·图希和64岁的朱迪思·皮克·艾斯纳加入了现任主席南希的队伍 W. 汉密尔顿1977年，总统马克·C. 康纳，还有火博体育的其他成员 仪式上的社区.  汉密尔顿称这是一个“重大时刻”。 这表明他是“心爱的生活受托人”.” 

President Conner counted Billie among the most impactful figures in Skidmore’s recent history and noted how he learned from her the importance of supporting both 学生 和老师.   

“The Center 综合科学: This is more than interdisciplinary, which puts disciplines side by side; this weaves them together, creating new synergies and creative 可能性. 这就是以“创造性思维很重要”为校训的大学应该做的事情 教学生科学，”康纳说. Billie Tisch继续驾驶Skidmore 's 未来以及过去的荣誉人物. 我估计是 慈善事业的真正衡量标准是一个人对人类的爱.”   

Faculty and staff spoke about how Billie’s enduring dedication to Skidmore continues 提升他们的职业生涯. 22岁的希瑟·里克，刚从化学专业毕业，也是获奖者 获得了著名的戈德华特奖学金，她说她只希望自己能去 花更多的时间在新的科学中心.    

“我很难想象火博体育的科学家们的未来会是什么样子 get to fully experience the teaching and research facilities of the Center for Integrated 科学. 对于额外的资源，我很兴奋，也有一点点嫉妒， opportunities, connections, and memories current and future 学生 will have,” Ricker 说. “不仅仅是一个更新的科学设施，比莉·蒂施综合中心 科学 declares that Skidmore is as dedicated to STEM (science, technology, engineering, 数学)，就像艺术和人文学科一样.”  

丹尼斯·史密斯, professor of health and human physiological sciences, 说 holding the Tisch家族杰出教授ship has been a highlight of her career by strengthening her connection to the College, providing her time to engage in pathbreaking research into cardiovascular strain associated with firefighting, and supporting collaborative 与学生一起研究.   

Perhaps the greatest gift that Billie gave us is her example — an example that calls us all to give more freely of our talents and our energy to ensure that Skidmore continues 茁壮成长，实现我们对过去、现在和未来的共同承诺 学生."

丹尼斯·史密斯

Tisch家族杰出教授

该仪式恰逢该项目的第二个东翼完工 of three phases of the project’s construction, which opens its doors to 学生 this 秋天. 仪式包括参观令人惊叹的新空间，其中包括Glotzbach Atrium, named for President Emeritus Glotzbach and his wife, Marie Glotzbach; Toohey Tower, named for the former chair of the Board of Trustees and her family; the Schupf Family IdeaLab innovation center and makerspace; state-of-the-art laboratories and 教室等等.   

该项目的第一阶段，北翼，于2020年秋季开放. 其余的 该项目将于2024年完工.  

In addition to supporting the science center and the Tisch家族杰出教授ship, 比利和她的家人一直支持学生和教师的学术工作 许多其他的方式，包括悌施家庭奖学金，悌施主席 艺术与文学，以及蒂施学习中心，以纪念比莉·蒂施和 她已故的丈夫劳伦斯·蒂施.  

Billie also contributed to the establishment of an endowed chair with her graduating class, the Class of 1948 Chair for Excellence in Teaching, and has generously supported the 火博体育基金, ensuring that all 学生 have access to a dynamic Skidmore education.  

The celebration featured performances by Skidmore student musicians, including “Edelweiss,” a favorite song of Billie, and, of course, a moving rendition of Skidmore’s Alma Mater.  

Throughout the day, those close to Billie reminisced about Billie’s continuing legacy. Edgar Wachenheim III, a life trustee, shared “how important Billie’s creative ideas, 火博体育的智慧和微笑.”  

她爱火博体育，爱她的家人，爱别人，爱生活 is a constant source of joy and inspiration to all whose lives she touches,” he wrote.

比莉的四个儿子，安德鲁、丹尼尔、詹姆斯和托马斯·蒂施，描述了火博体育是如何 会永远是她珍爱的母校吗.“我代表这个家庭发言， 托马斯·蒂施注意到她的性格中有许多重要的方面 senior college yearbook — her giggle, her “bright, practical, and able” personality, and her “vivacious efficiency” — endured throughout a lifetime of renowned philanthropy 在火博体育和其他地方.   

“我想你们都知道我妈妈有多爱火博体育. 它一直伴随着她 我只知道她今天有多想来到这里，”托马斯·蒂施说. “我也 我知道她看到火博体育现在的样子会有多开心.”