Farewell to two MCC Friends and Icons
This weekend saw the passing of two giants in the business, both of whom made stops at MCC in recent years to talk with students and friends of the college and to share their world knowledge.
On Friday night, legendary CBS News anchorman Walter Cronkite died at the age of 92. Known to all as "the most trusted man in America," Cronkite made headlines as MCC's first-ever Celebrity Forum speaker on April 14, 1999. While Cronkite's excitement at man landing on the moon 40 years ago this week was evident, it was his emotional delivery of the news that President John F. Kennedy had died as a result of an assassin's bullet that was forever emblazoned in America's psyche.
President Cowan recalled Cronkite as "a warm, enthusiastic gentleman" who was honored to meet with people in Lowell and recall his role in America's history. "He was a great inaugural speaker for our Celebrity Forum speaker series, and helped set the tone right out of the gate that we would be bringing world-class speakers in to Lowell," Cowan said.
Then on Sunday night, Pulitzer Prize winning Author Frank McCourt passed away at the age of 78.
McCourt, the author of, among other works, Angela's Ashes, spoke to a packed ballroom at the Doubletree Hotel in Lowell as part of the college's One World speaker series. More than 500 people, including several of the college's writing classes, attended the February 10, 2003 event.
They'll both be missed.
Were any of you at either of the events? Did you get a chance to meet either of the two? What do you remember best about the pair?