The Sammartino Legacy

Friends and family of Fairleigh Dickinson University:

This month marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of an incredible individual. On August 15, 1904, Peter Sammartino was born in New York City. The life he would go on to lead is a moving tale of courage, creativity and conviction.

Dr. Peter Sammartino founded Fairleigh Dickinson University. While some faculty and staff knew Peter, most current members of our community have no personal recollection of his ideas, personality, passions and efforts. I thought this occasion was an appropriate opportunity to share some information and some thoughts about him.

Peter Sammartino’s legacy is most richly illustrated by our University. But he was a true Renaissance man, with a long record of scholarly and cultural pursuits and an extensive commitment to public service. Although I never had the great fortune to meet Peter, his vision for this University inspires me, and his record of achievement motivates me to be a better public servant.

The decision to form Fairleigh Dickinson was made in 1941. But in the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, most believed Peter was crazy to proceed. He would not be deterred. Along with his wife Sally (he once said she did half the work but got none of the credit), he produced one of the great success stories in American higher education.

As Professor Emeritus of English Walter Savage once said, Peter and Sally were “one in deed and dream.” The dream was inspired by Peter’s work at the New College, an experimental school at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Peter, who was chairman of the language department, relished the school’s emphasis on hands-on learning. Students were expected to learn about real life by working in business, about social concerns by working in the community and about global issues by studying abroad — groundbreaking notions at the time. These ideas combined with a strong liberal arts education would form the core elements of Fairleigh Dickinson.

Peter especially valued the importance of making international connections. Well before it was common practice, he brought in students, faculty members and visiting lecturers from throughout the world. He viewed the University as a world player and helped the institution develop a global reputation.

Peter was not just our first president, but also a faculty member and sometimes even a janitor who was no stranger to stoking the furnace, cleaning classrooms and laying bricks for a new building. And Sally, the school’s first dean of admissions, was always by his side.

Nurtured by their perseverance and their fortitude, the small junior college in Rutherford grew into the state’s largest private university, with campuses opening in Teaneck and Madison in the 1950s and Wroxton, England, in 1965.

Professor Emeritus of Chemistry Mal Sturchio told me of the afternoon he and six others were “invited” to meet at the newly acquired Hamilton-Twombly estate in Madison. Peter aligned the group on the steps in the Grand Hall of the Mansion and said, “Now we’ve got it, so what do you want to do with it?” And he proceeded over the next 30 minutes to outline his ideas. So it was with Peter — ask for participation, but already have a plan.

After stepping down as president in 1967, Peter continued to be active at the University. He was often found roaming the campus, asking students, faculty and staff if they had any ideas for improvement. He was concerned about each and every person here, and he would spare no effort to make this a better place to learn, to live and to work.

But Peter’s influence spread well beyond these walls. Let me highlight just a few especially notable activities. Certainly, he was a learned scholar with numerous books to his credit, including works on Columbus, Shakespeare, Emile Zola, Sicily and higher education.

Passionate supporters of the arts and avid collectors of paintings and sculptures, he and Sally were actively involved with many arts organizations. And, Peter was president of the New York Cultural Center.

Peter, whose immigrant parents entered this country through Ellis Island, was deeply saddened by the decay of the site and decided to do something about it. He launched a nationwide movement and ultimately convinced Congress to provide funds to renovate this important landmark. Today, this beautiful national shrine serves as a tribute to not just those who journeyed to this country, but to the ideals of the nation itself. And we have Peter to thank for it.

Because Peter believed that education and universities have the power to unify peoples and nations, he co-founded and served as the first president of the International Association of University Presidents, an organization that today includes 700 presidents from around the world.

He was heavily committed to education throughout the world. For example, in the early 1960s, Peter welcomed to campus Dr. Charoen Kanthawongs, who was the president of a new college in Thailand specializing in business training. Peter immediately became a mentor and friend. He ensured that Fairleigh Dickinson would help guide the development of the institution, which was the first private, nonprofit school in Thailand. As FDU’s deans of the College of Business Administration, Harold Feldman and then Joseph Green took a leadership role at the new institution. They traveled regularly to Thailand to provide curriculum development and governance advice, and facilitate its accreditation process. Today, Bangkok University hosts more than 25,000 students on two campuses, and credits its formation and development to Fairleigh Dickinson University. And its current president, Thanu Kulachol, is an FDU alumnus who was mentored by Dr. Green. Such were the seeds that Peter planted.

After his death in 1992, one editorial accurately noted, “Few men of this modern era could be said to have had more impact on the life of this state, and even the nation, than this man who created Fairleigh Dickinson University, instigated the saving and restoration of Ellis Island, provided a haven for scholars … and stood as an example of what can be achieved in a free society.”

Many great organizations and institutions are founded by individuals such as Peter Sammartino — individuals who are committed, convincing, visionary, passionate and persuasive. These are exactly the characteristics that attract strong partners — individuals who believe in a mission and who work feverishly to bring the dream to reality. That is what happened at FDU.

It was the devotion, belief, energy and effort of so many exceptional faculty and staff who crafted, created and honed Peter’s vision.

Describing the spirit of Fairleigh Dickinson, Peter once wrote, “People think of a university in terms of buildings, of numbers of students, of complexity of curricula. And yet it was in terms of our service to students and the simplicity of our approach that we found the greatest meaning to our lives. This service, we felt, was by far the most important aspect of Fairleigh Dickinson. This was the magic web that held us together and gave us the élan that was the spirit of the institution.”

Five years ago, I recommended to the FDU community that we return to the founder’s vision. In that spirit, and with his passion and persistence, we can continue weaving this magic web. We can continue to build a lasting monument to his memory by making Fairleigh Dickinson a memorable place for our students and a world model of contemporary higher education.

As members of Fairleigh Dickinson University, we all now share in the Sammartino legacy, and thus we all share an obligation to extend that rich tradition to the next generation.

Thank you for your time and consideration, and indeed for all you do to continue giving life to the dream of Peter and Sally Sammartino.

Michael Adams