It is with great sorrow that we report the loss of Bruce Cole. Bruce passed away unexpectedly Monday night at the age of 79.
Bruce was a dear friend of the Coolidge Foundation, giving generously of his wisdom, expertise, and friendship over the years. Most recently he served as the inaugural chairman of the Coolidge Scholarship Finalist Jury. Bruce appears at the 3:30 mark of our scholarship video. He was an ideal jury chairman: discerning, probing, thoughtful, and kind.
Bruce enjoyed an illustrious career. He was the longest-serving chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, NEH, a post he held from 2001 to 2009. At the NEH, Bruce championed the study of American history and encouraged the use of art to teach about America’s heritage and values. Earlier in his career, Bruce was distinguished professor of fine arts and professor of comparative literature at Indiana University. A world-leading scholar of Renaissance art, he authored some fifteen books and countless articles and commentaries. In 2008, Bruce was presented the Presidential Citizens Medal by President George W. Bush “for his work to strengthen our national memory and ensure that our country’s heritage is passed on to future generations.” In 2013, he was named to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission by President Barack Obama.
A number of touching remembrances have been published this week. The University of Indiana honors Bruce here, as does the NEH at this link. The Washington Post summarizes Bruce’s work and professional accomplishments here, the Weekly Standard remembers him here, and scholar Yuval Levin's nice tribute appears in National Review,here. Bruce is survived by his wife, Doreen Cole, who joined Bruce on numerous visits to the Coolidge Homestead in Plymouth Notch. Bruce and Doreen were with us just last month in New York for the annual Coolidge gala.
All of us at the Coolidge Foundation are enormously grateful to Bruce for his years of untiring support and friendship. We will miss him dearly.
Coolidge Scholarship:
Deadline Approaching
The Coolidge Scholarship is an annually awarded, full-ride, presidential scholarship that covers a student’s tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study. This one-of-a-kind merit scholarship may be used at any accredited American college or university.
The scholarship is open to current high school juniors (alas, seniors are not eligible).The deadline to submit applications is Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 5:00 PM EST. We hope you'll help us spread the word.
For more information about the scholarship and to access the online application, please visit: www.coolidgescholars.org.
American Spectator Publishes Luddy Remarks
Bob Luddy delivers the keynote speech at the 2017 New York Dinner.
The American Spectatorhas published an editedversion of the remarks Bob Luddy delivered at last month's New York Dinner. Mr. Luddy's keynote speech, which received a standing ovation, highlights the importance of the American entrepreneurial spirit and its relationship to the ideals of President Coolidge.
Invitation: Coolidge and Vandenberg
We are excited to host Hendrik Meijer for a discussion of his recent book “Arthur Vandenberg: The Man in the Middle of the American Century.” The event includes an introduction by Amity Shlaes and an interview with the author, moderated by nationally-syndicated radio host John Batchelor.
February 19, 2018 (Noon to 4:00 PM EST): Presidents Day Open House in Plymouth Notch
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