The Legacy of Frohnmayer - A Student Perspective

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Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Amelie Rousseau, GoLocalPDX Contributor

I was teaching a class on the reproductive system in front of a gaggle of pubescent boys when I heard the news. Public servant and UO President Dave Frohnmayer had passed away at age 74.  I took a moment from the wearying power struggles of teaching at-risk youth to remember and reflect on my memories of him. 

I first met Frohnmayer at a scholarship dinner in my freshman year at the University of Oregon. As he gave a few remarks to the students and donors in the room, I was struck foremost by his gentleness. Although he stood well over six feet tall, his voice didn’t boom, nor his mouth over-smile. His masterful oration skills were matched only by his confident but unassuming carriage. It made me curious to know more about this gentle man who had accomplished so much.  

Once a year, President Frohnmayer taught a class of ambitious freshmen on the ‘Theory of Leadership.’ I knew I had to take this class. From Machiavelli to Osho, we slogged through all the greats. In our lengthy class discussions, his sad eyes were always quick to listen and slow to judge.

One chilly January night our whole class climbed the hill to the President’s mansion for a game of ‘Diplomacy,’ the classic correspondence war-game where players maneuver for domination of pre-WWI Europe. Hunched over a table-sized map, we sipped lemonade and congressed in small groups, forging desperate alliances and power grabbing backstabs. I was assigned to France, so needless to say we didn’t get much past Spain before being humiliatingly stomped out of the running [insert French military quip here]. It was an extremely nerdy and memorable evening. 

From this self-selecting leadership class, many would go on to be the UO’s next generation of student leaders. One of my classmates became the editor in chief of The Daily Emerald. Others headed their fraternities or sororities. As for my own legacy, I had fallen in love with student organizing and ran for student body president in 2010. By the time I was elected, Frohnmayer had just retired, but his long shadow still lingered over the marble steps of Johnson Hall. 

Unlike so many professors and politicians, President Frohnmayer never grandstanded. He spoke and taught simply to inspire and share knowledge with those who might one day follow in his footsteps. He did not obsess about creating a legacy for himself, and for this he will indubitably have one. Do I agree with all of his university policies? Of course not. But a man who commits his entire life to public service should be celebrated. President Frohnmayer’s demeanor inspires me to teach with patience and gentleness, never domination. Thank you President Frohnmayer, for the inspiration you sprouted in countless hearts. You will be missed. 

-Amélie Rousseau, UO ‘11

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