Beth Crawford Hucker was born into a Shipley family. Her mother and aunt, both alumni, both served as trustees. Her sisters and numerous cousins are also alumni, and her father is an Honorary Alumnus. Sometimes children make efforts to get as far away from their parents’ activities as they can. Mrs. Hucker did not.

Over the last 18 years she has consistently taken time from a career in financial advising to volunteer at Shipley, shouldering diverse roles of increasing responsibility. She has served on the Alumni Board and the Volunteer Forum, as Annual Giving Representative and as Reunion Manager for her class. In 1994 she joined the Board of Trustees and became Chair in 2001. In 2008, Mrs. Crawford retired from the Board, becoming a Trustee Emerita. No doubt, her financial experience and acumen have been great assets in guiding the school. But her unique patience and gracious and unflappable demeanor have been invaluable.

Mrs. Hucker has regularly been involved in fundraising for Shipley. In addition to her work on Annual Giving, she served on a number of committees for the last capital campaign and is a volunteer representative to the Leadership Council Committee. 

Although Mrs. Hucker is “semi-retired” from formal Shipley activities, she continues to be involved, giving wise, calm, and considered counsel when we need it.

We truly appreciate Mrs. Hucker’s years of service and her loyalty and commitment to Shipley. Today, as she celebrates her 35th reunion, we are pleased to give her the 2010 Alumni Association Service Award.

I would like to thank the Alumni Association for honoring me with this award today.

It’s really easy to find the time to donate to a cause or mission that you believe in and are passionate about, especially when you yourself have gained so much from your connection with that cause or mission.

From the very beginning of my Shipley experience in the Fall of 1962, the wonderful faculty, coaches and others in the school community began the process of molding me into the person you see standing before you this morning. My teachers throughout my 13 years at Shipley were instrumental in developing critical thinking, multi-tasking, communication, and interpersonal and organizational skills. My coaches in the sports I attempted to play taught me the importance of being a team player, and understanding that it is not all about winning or losing but how you play the game. Extracurricular activities, such as acting in a school play or co-editing the yearbook, helped me develop better time management skills. Whether it was in the classroom or on the athletic field or on stage, I was encouraged to try new things, to explore new inner depths and take on challenges not as obstacles but as opportunities. OK…so not everything worked out as planned, those darned rings and rope climbing in 8th grade gymnastics were always obstacles, never opportunities! All kidding aside, those humbling experiences still had merit. They taught me that I could fail at something and it wasn’t the end of the world.

To quote myself from my address to the Class of 2008, Shipley taught me to be truthful, to understand good from bad and right from wrong. Shipley showed me that people are different from one another and perhaps have different beliefs from mine and Shipley taught me to respect those differences. All of these things played a critical role in allowing me to take on the challenges of college, the working world and creating a family life. They are the cornerstones of my success as a business woman, a wife, a stepmother, a daughter, a sister, and a friend.

So it was an easy YES when I was asked to join the Board of Trustees in the Fall of 1994, to be part of a group of dedicated volunteers whose responsibility it is to see that the Mission of the School gets carried on for many future generations. And it was truly a remarkable experience to be Vice Chair and then Chair of the Board, working closely with Dr. Piltch. The challenges of my 7 years as Chair were outweighed, totally outweighed, by the rewards of watching young women and men prosper from their Shipley experiences and seeing the school remain a vibrant, enriching and evolving educational institution.

I encourage all of you to find a cause or an institution with a Mission that you believe in and can support with your time, talent and treasure. The payback you will receive in intangible ways will truly be rewarding.

Shipley gave me so much it was natural to want to try to return the favor. It’s been an amazing and fun relationship that has existed for close to a ½ century and I hope the relationship continues for many more years.

Thank you.