Posted Wednesday, December 27, 2006

By Morris Arvoy

ALBION, Mich. – Gerald R. Ford, the Michigan native and former Albion College trustee who rose to the presidency after the wrenching years of Watergate and President Richard Nixon’s resignation—is being remembered on campus and by Albion College president Peter Mitchell for his "ability to pierce through the complexities of issues, understand what must be done, and then exercise the courage and force of will to act with integrity and compassion." [Read President Mitchell's Grand Rapids Press opinion feature of Dec. 30, 2006.]

President Ford had strong ties to Albion College, serving as a trustee from the 1960s until 1973, as well as founding the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service at the college in 1977. The Ford Institute was the first educational program in the country named in honor of the former president.

Ford, who visited campus several times during his lifetime, sent a videotaped greeting that was played at the inauguration of Albion President Peter Mitchell in 1997. Ford delivered the College’s commencement address in 1967. He received an honorary degree from the College in 1965.

Ford delivers an address inaugurating the Ford Institute in 1977 at Goodrich Chapel.

Ford meets with Ford Institute students in 1990.

Students prep Ford before he receives his honorary degree in 1965.

Over the years, Ford met with countless Albion College students to discuss their work with the Ford Institute.

“President Gerald Ford has long been a friend to Albion College,” said Al Pheley, director of the Ford Institute. “Since his time in Congressional service and his terms on the College’s board of trustees, he supported the College in many ways. At the conclusion of his presidential – and government – service, he looked for a way to instill public service qualities in young adults. This vision brought him again to Albion where he established the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Service, now called the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service.”

In a speech launching the Ford Institute in the College’s Goodrich Chapel in 1977, Ford stated, “It struck me, when I was in college, that many people thought of ‘public service’ as a synonym for ‘public office.’ However, it seemed to me that public service was more about improving the quality of people’s lives, and there were many ways, both personally and professionally, to pursue that goal.”

As part of the dedication ceremony on October 3, 1977, President Ford stated:

“I believe it is the duty…of good men and women to enter public service as…our best hope of strengthening the moral fiber not only in but outside of government.  In this belief I am honored and I am proud to make the announcement of the establishment of the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Service here at Albion College…Our forefathers when they wrote the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence had a dream of freedom, liberty, and prosperity…That dream had not been fully realized, but…with… the participation…of those who go to the Institute…that dream can be a reality.”

A signed copy of this dedication hangs in the Ford Institute office.

“With the Ford Institute the first undergraduate program of its type, President Ford’s vision was to provide an opportunity for undergraduate level students to explore policy issues more fully and to prepare future leaders in all fields though coursework, service, internships and personal mentoring,” Pheley said. “This wasn’t just a focus on students interested in going into law or politics, but a much broader perspective—to get students involved in community service, understand the workings of communities and their governments, so that they will be leaders whether in their community, their profession, at the grassroots level or in government itself. The Institute is designed to give them the theory, real-world experience, and interest to make a difference. It emphasizes the Ford philosophy of working together to achieve our goals—in the bipartisan style which characterizes Gerald Ford and the Ford administration.”

A memorial service will be held for Ford on campus after classes resume Jan. 22, 2007.

Article about the 25th anniversary of the Ford Institute on Albion’s campus Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read this article. Download it free.

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