Stanford’s Hall of Famers

Award-winning playwright DAVID HENRY HWANG is one of four alumni who will be honored at the 15th annual Multicultural Alumni Hall of Fame induction ceremony during Reunion Homecoming. Hwang, who won a Tony Award in 1988 for M. Butterfly, graduated from Stanford in 1979. He will be joined by Dr. V. JOY SIMMONS, ’74, physician and former trustee; VICKI L. RUIZ, MA ’78, PhD ’82, dean of the School of Humanities and professor of history and Chicano/Latino studies at UC-Irvine; and HILARY TOMPKINS, JD ’96, solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior. They will be inducted by the directors of the ethnic community centers at a reception on Friday, Oct. 23, at 4:30 p.m. at the Oak Rooms at Tresidder Memorial Union. Harvard Law Professor CHARLES OGLETREE, ’75, MA ’75, also a former Stanford trustee, will host. . . .

Then next month Stanford Athletics will induct eight new members into the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame. They are MIKE MUSSINA, ’91, a pitcher who helped Stanford win the College World Series before going on to a Major League career with the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees; TOMMY VARDELL, ’91, who holds the school’s all-time record for rushing touchdowns with 37 (known at Stanford as “Touchdown Tommy,” he later played for the Cleveland Browns, the Detroit Lions and the San Francisco 49ers); PATRICK MCENROE, ’88, a three-time tennis All-American and current captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team; LISA SHARPLEY-VANACHT, ’98, a three-time AVCA All-American who helped the Cardinal to three NCAA volleyball titles; WADE FLEMONS, ’82, the 1981 NCAA champion in the 200-yard breaststroke; KATHLEEN MCCARTHY-SCRIVNER, ’87, a three-time first team women’s golf All-America selection; runner MONAL CHOKSHI, ’97, who won the NCAA championship in the 3,000 meters in 1998; and DICK HORN, ’52, MD ’59, a standout defensive back on Stanford’s 1951 team that competed in the Rose Bowl before he went on to play for the Baltimore Colts. The 2009 Hall of Fame class will be honored at a private reception and dinner Nov. 6, and recognized during halftime at the stadium when Stanford plays Oregon Nov. 7. . .

And speaking of champions, THOM MASSEY, BA ’69, MA ’72, played football and ran track during his undergraduate years, but his feats on the field are a small part of what he’s remembered for.  Massey was associate dean of multicultural education and resident fellow in Naranja when he died January 1.  Massey has been remembered as a pillar of the African American community, a rock in the Native American community and part of the mosaic that is the entire campus community. “He had this amazing ability to be different things to different people. He related to all of us,” RANDY ZABANEH ’10, a Naranja resident, told the Stanford Daily just last week. On Sunday, Oct. 25, at 11 a.m., Massey’s name will be set in stone during a brick dedication at the Black Community Services Center’s HENRY and  MONIQUE BRANDON Family Community Room. JAN BARKER-ALEXANDER, associate dean of students and director of the BCSC, has been working with a group of alumni to plan a celebration of Massey’s life during Reunion Homecoming Weekend. “Many alums were unable to attend the memorial service in January, so this is their time to celebrate their mentor and friend with all who knew him. We hope that you can join us,” she said.

– Elaine Ray