Wednesday, September 7, 2016
UMES celebrates Hytche legacy during 2016 Founders’ Week
PRINCESS ANNE, MD– (Sept. 7, 2016) – Members of the William P. Hytche Legacy Initiative committee gather on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 4-to-7 p.m. in the William P. Hytche Athletic Center to celebrate the culmination of “a labor of love” that began nearly a decade ago. The single motivating factor for committee leaders Pat H. Alexander ’69, William F. Armstrong ’70 and Charles D. Gregg ’68 is honoring the life and achievements of the late UMES president.
Hytche came to Princess Anne in 1960 as a math instructor and over the ensuing 37 years rose through the faculty ranks to become the president of University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He died in 2007.
During the Hytche Initiative’s first phase, renowned artist Simmie Knox was commissioned to paint his portrait as a tribute. It was presented in 2008 to then-president Dr. Thelma B. Thompson.
The second phase was securing campus space for the William P. Hytche Legacy Museum, where memorabilia spanning his life – from childhood to retirement – is on display along with a narrative beautifully illustrated by Patrick Henry, a UMES alumnus and a celebrated local artist.
The final phase involved the planning and execution of the Sept. 10 grand opening, which includes the unveiling of a statue of the fallen Hawk crafted by former UMES art professor Ernest Satchell.
For the occasion marking the official opening of the museum, UMES President Dr. Juliette B. Bell, Mrs. Deloris Hytche and the extended Hytche family will be in attendance. In addition, several administrators who were important to the Hytche era will return to campus. They include Dr. Earl S. Richardson, president emeritus of Morgan State University, and Dr. Mortimer Neufville, former interim UMES president.
Dr. Carl S. Person, whose doctoral thesis was an in-depth study of the growth and development of UMES with an emphasis on Hytche’s leadership, will be the guest speaker. His “Revitalization of a Historically Black College: A Maryland Eastern Shore Case” was published in 1998 following Hytche’s retirement.
The Sept. 10 event kicks off Founders’ Week at UMES, which continues through Saturday, Sept. 17.
#HawkPride
UMES Office of Public Relations, (410) 651-6669
