Frederick H. Gaige, 72, dean and CEO emeritus of Penn State Berks, died on Aug. 25, 2009, in a hospice in Amherst, Mass.
Known to many as a visionary leader, Gaige served Penn State Berks from 1984 to 2001, helping to transform the campus into a college with four-year academic programs and residence halls. He also was instrumental in significantly increasing student enrollment, endowment and physical facilities.
"Fred built on the momentum created by his predecessor, Dr. Harold Perkins, who had created strong community connections," said Susan Phillips Speece, Penn State Berks chancellor. "He expanded that support base and worked to bring Penn State Berks to a new level of academic excellence, working with faculty, staff and the community to determine the best way to position the campus to meet the needs of its service area. By investing in faculty who increasingly attained their doctoral degrees, Fred began the transformation of the college from a two-year institution to a highly respected undergraduate college of The Pennsylvania State University. We are indebted to Fred for his passion and work on behalf of the students and community."
During Gaige's tenure, the campus expanded with the purchase of a farm and 110 acres in September 1987 and construction of a new classroom building, named the Franco Building. Expansion continued as a greenhouse was constructed in 1990, as well as athletic fields and a stand-alone bookstore.
Under Gaige's leadership, the campus added student housing in the fall of 1990. The first phase of the residence halls housed 200 students, and the second phase housed an additional 200 students in 1992.
One of the major milestones in the history of the campus occurred in 1997, when Penn State Berks merged with Penn State Lehigh Valley to form Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley College. This was significant because the new college now had the authority to grant baccalaureate degrees.
The college was further enhanced through construction of a high-tech learning and technology addition to the Thun Library, named the Boscov-Lakin Information Commons. The residence halls expanded again with a new residence facility, named The Woods, which provided an additional 400 beds in two phases.
Despite the many accomplishments made during his tenure, his defining moment was when the first class of Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley College baccalaureate students received their degrees during a proud commencement ceremony in May of 2000.
"In all the years that I have spent in higher education, I can honestly say that one of the proudest moments I have ever experienced was standing on that stage and awarding the first baccalaureate degrees from Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley College," Gaige commented. "Shaking the hands of the students who believed in our faculty and staff and who decided their course was to stay for four years and be a part of that historical moment was a privilege that I will treasure for the rest of my life."
Gaige retired on Jan. 31, 2001, and was succeeded by Dr. Susan Phillips Speece. During the 16 years Gaige served as dean and CEO, the campus had expanded from 1,000 students in four major buildings on 135 acres of land to 2,100 students in seven major buildings and thirteen smaller structures on 240 acres of land.
"Fred Gaige was an extraordinary educator who served the campus and community with great distinction," said Penn State President Graham Spanier. "Fred's leadership in university service and administration has transformed countless lives. Above all, he always put people first. This is his legacy."
In addition to being a visionary leader, Gaige was a noted scholar in the field of South Asian studies and became an early expert on Nepal, where he did research on a Fulbright Fellowship from 1966 to 1968. His research culminated in the publication of Regionalism and National Unity in Nepal. He returned to Nepal as a Fulbright Lecturer in 1983 and, in 1991, he served as a consultant to the Asia Foundation and U.S. Agency for International Development on the first democratic elections in Nepal.
Gaige also was a community activist who volunteered with numerous organizations. He was one of the leaders of the successful effort to change the Reading city charter (Reading Citizens for Effective Government). He also was elected as a board member of the Reading School District and he was an appointed member of the Berks County Planning Commission.
Additionally, he served as a member of the board of directors of The Reading Hospital and Medical Center, Police Athletic League, Hispanic Center and many other organizations.
Gaige earned his doctoral degree in South Asian studies from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970, a master's degree in history from Brown University in 1963, and a bachelor's degree in history from Oberlin College in 1959.
He is survived by his wife, Austra, and their two daughters, Karina A. Gaige and Amity W. Gaige and their families.