The Elm Student Newspaper
Dr. Spilich awarded first John Toll Chair
Eliot Caroom
The John Toll Chair, recently created by WC's Board of Visitors and Governors, has been awarded to Professor George Spilich of the Psychology Department.
The chair was created to honor President Toll for his contributions to Washington College.The decision to award the chair to Spilich was made by both Toll and members of the board.
"I was asked to recommend a person I thought was best qualified," Toll said. "I think [Spilich] is the best qualified.
"He's a really outstanding teacher, and has set the tone for many courses. He's also a very exciting researcher," Toll continued. "His work on the effects of smoking on the human cognitive processes are very important research. He does research with students, and involves them with much of his work."
When asked how happy he was to receive the chair, on a scale of one to ten, Professor Spilich did not hesitate to rank it a ten.
"It's an honor," he said. "I'm a little embarrassed by it. I feel pretty lucky to get it at a school with so many talented faculty members. The competition is stiff; the young faculty are great. In a few years I might not have been a finalist."
Professor Spilich praised the WC students as well.
Caption: Professor George Spilich was awarded the first-ever John Toll Chair. Photograph by Lauren McLoughlin, Elm photographer."It's a really fun place to be a college professor. The students are just excellent." He went on to say that "meeting students is far and away the number one fulfilling thing about my job. Smart, capable, multi-talented - they are winners."
Spilich confessed that his boyhood aspiration was to become an astronomer.
A passing professor added, "Some of us say he never came out of the stars." When Spilich came to teach here in 1979, he didn't intend to stay for more than a year."I was trained to be a research professor, but I came here for one year and found I liked it better," he said. "I enjoy working here everyday, whereas my friends at large universities don't."
Spilich was quick to praise the psychology department.
"I think it's a nationally visible department," he said. "My colleagues are superb. It's excellent to try keep up with them. I'm in an all-star group, so it makes me pay attention."
Toll noted, "We're extremely fortunate to have him as such an able faculty leader. [He's] a brilliant, open, cordial person, who is very positive about the college and its students."
According to a WC press release, the chair was endowed for $2 million through two gifts of $1 million: one from board members, and the other as part of the Hodson Trust Challenge.
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