Honorary Degrees of Retiring Faculty
Joseph A. Hopfensperger, Resident Director, Bjorklunden, 1990
"Joseph A. Hopfensperger, you have combined with majesty the unlikely responsibilities of Administrative Assistant to the President, Director of Industrial Placement, Director of the Radio, professor of theatre and drama, and finally Resident Director of Bjorklunden. In each of these services to Lawrence, you have brought your keen sense of style, meticulous regard for detail, and sheer pounding hard work. In you the creative and the technical meet.
As professor of theatre and drama your appetite for the theatre was voracious. Along with teaching the history of theatre, Freshman Studies, and directing, you designed or directed nearly 100 theatre and opera productions at Lawrence of nearly every genre and period: Shakespeare, Restoration comedy, Duerrenmatt, Brecht, and Stoppard all came within your orbit of expertise. It took a certain kind of nerve to produce when you did such plays as 'The Killing of Sister George,' on the one hand, and 'Toad of Toad Hall,' on the other.
For the past 13 years as chief factotum of the northern campus, you have applied your craft to directing programs and seminars at Bjorklunden. Each summer you work with Lawrence students teaching them to give a full day's work for a full day's pay. Each summer you construct an exciting series of seminars for our alumni and friends. Everyone who has been at Bjorklunden has experienced your personal consideration and has sensed your watchful care of the programs, the student interns, guests, and buildings. As one of the participants observed: Faith built the chapel--as the legend at Bjorklunden indicates--but Joe re-roofed it.
By the authority vested in me, I now confer upon you the degree of Master of Arts, ad eundem, and admit you to its rights, its privileges, and its obligations."