Hillsdale Collegian- Michigan's Oldest College Newspaper

Ten students were among nearly 100 guests in attendance at the 70th birthday celebration and tribute dinner of former college president George Roche III held Saturday evening at the Country Club of Jackson.

Also in attendance were Roche’s friends and colleagues from 10 states, past and present professors and students of Hillsdale, Roche and four family members: son Jake Roche and daughters Maggie Murphy and Muriel Peters, accompanied by their husbands Chad and Jeromy.

Also present were a number of Hillsdale figures, such as former athletic director John McAvoy, former treasurer F. Lamar “Tony” Fowler, official Hillsdale historian Arlan Gilbert and writer M. Stanton Evans.

Former Hillsdale Vice President Ronald Trowbridge, who organized the event, welcomed guests at the door, gave the opening and closing speech for the tribute and shared touching and humorous anecdotes with guests, emphasizing his earlier promise of a “fun evening, focused on the high road and the good things.”

“I knew that if I didn’t do this [tribute] nobody else would,” Trowbridge said.

In a three-minute video presentation, President Larry Arnn recounted Hillsdale’s monumental shift to a non-government funded institution under Roche’s administration and the “shrewdness and fortitude” that was required for this to happen.

Evans, a speaker at the very first CCA in 1972 and the author featured in the first issue of Imprimis, talked first of life after 70, and then more seriously of Hillsdale’s effect on our nation and the importance of Roche’s role.

“Hillsdale College has been fundamental to change in our nation,” Evans said. “George Roche understood the battle we were at—the intellectual battle before the political battle. If we didn’t win the battle of ideas, we weren’t going to win anything on the ballot or in the courtroom.”

Trowbridge read a portion of the 60 testimonies written for Roche, including statements from Bill Buckley Jr., Gilbert, past and present students and professors and even a former Hillsdale maintenance employee.

Hillsdale alumnus Jon Corombos, ’92, wrote his testimony in Latin, the gesture being “truly representative” of a former Hillsdale student.

“The world was not full of many heroes at the time we were Hillsdale College students,” read Corombos’ English translation. “But we had one in our midst.”

“George, I’m proud to salute you,” Gilbert wrote. “I deeply appreciate your essential role in the fight for excellence.”

Trowbridge reviewed Roche’s accomplishments at Hillsdale, which included raising $325 million, elevating the endowment to $200 million from $4 million, expanding campus facilities by half and starting the Imprimis newsletter, now at a circulation of 1.2 million.

Roche eventually took the podium, spending some time in reflection.

“These memories of Hillsdale are all reminders of the very courageous, talented people there,” Roche said. “We showed the whole nation what principles, integrity and purpose can accomplish.

“What we were standing for was from an earlier, positive America that I loved.”

“This was a big honor and we wanted to be here,” Murphy said about the four Roche family members present. “I think he felt great—I think it meant a lot to him bringing all these people together.”

Tom Waldvogel, ’91, said he and his wife owed a lot to Roche.

“We are both honored to be here, as an opportunity to say thank you and wish him well,” he said. “We didn’t have that opportunity when he left.”

Senior Giles Jago attended the dinner with her fiancé, senior Dean Simmer; sister, sophomore Margaret Jago; and cousin, junior Julia Burgess.

“Had this event not taken place, I would not have had the opportunity to meet a man I have heard so much about,” Jago said.

Roche and his wife, Dean, recently moved to the Texas coast. While struggling with severe diabetes, Roche said he plans to write a book, using the “large box of notes and wisdom” he has organized during his life.