We are happy to report that this year’s Henry Cabot Lodge ’20 Distinguished Alumni Award was bestowed upon not one, but two very deserving members of the Class of 1963; Jeff Smith and Jim Kugel, for “their significant and lasting contribution to society” and for having brought great credit to Middlesex.
Recently named President of the Alumni Association Board, Hunter Moorman ‘60 was on hand to present a beautifully engraved crystal obelisk to both Lodge Award Winners. Noting the prophecy of Jim Kugel’s yearbook entry, “Jim has made an undeniably significant start toward a career in journalism. To set a limit to his success would be to have that limit broken.” Hunter remarked on Jim’s early and foreshadowing talents. After Middlesex, Jim attended Yale where in a letter to Mr. Briggs he wrote, “The study of English offers too much to be passed up in honor of something practical.” Laughter rippled through the audience as all appreciated the irony of how something so impractical could have led someone to such an esteemed career. Living in Israel and unable to attend, Jim’s son Levi accepted the award on his father’s behalf, and thanked Middlesex for helping to form the man who has become such an important role model for him.
Happily, Jeff Smith was in attendance and after thanking Hunter for his kind words, Jeff delivered a wonderful acceptance speech in which he highlighted the accomplishments of Henry Cabot Lodge ’20 who “took on some of the most difficult and challenging responsibilities ever borne by a single U.S. citizen in our history.”
Jeff noted with humor that given the challenges that he endured in both math and science at Middlesex, no one could have predicted a career in which Jeff was uniquely responsible for bridging the wide worlds of science and politics together in a non-partisan fashion, creating opportunities for research and discovery. “Our Nation’s passion for discovery and our sense of adventure are deeply rooted in our good qualities. They have always, always driven this nation forward and they have always sparked our can-do spirit of innovation. If this extraordinary school keeps taking bold steps in years to come, then I know it is Middlesex graduates who will be leading America’s expeditions to the future.”
Visit our Distinguished Alumni Profiles page to read about all of our Henry Cabot Lodge ’20 Distinguished Alumni Award winners.
