 Dr.
Edward R. Gilbert, Ph.D., professor of psychology, died on February
13, 2006. The Albright community, friends and family gathered in
Memorial Chapel on February 16 to remember the beloved professor.
Gilbert served as professor of psychology for 48
years, beginning in 1958.
He also taught in Albright’s evening
division from 1960 to 1992. In 2000, he
was instrumental in creating a human resource program within the
Psychology Department.
A man committed to the community and to helping
students, Gilbert was one
of the founders of the Blue Spruce Foundation, a non-profit corporation
created in 1989 to provide financial
assistance to students enrolled in post-high school education and
training from or in Berks County. The grants are awarded in good
faith to cover unexpected expenses like textbooks, medical expenses,
travel for field work, art supplies, etc. He served as the organization’s
president.
Gilbert also spearheaded the creation of the Albright
President’s
Award for Leadership in Learning for a Lifetime, which is in its third
year at Albright. Gilbert’s vision was to honor pace-setting
programs and organizations in Berks County that foster learning
in the broadest sense and allow individuals of all ages to expand
their horizons.
He received several awards from Albright including:
the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award, 1978; the Alpha Sigma
Lambda Award, 1985; the Jacob Albright Award, 1988; the Alumni Association
Service Award, 1995; and the United Methodist Division of Higher
Education Award, 2003.
Gilbert was also employed as a field psychologist
for Personnel Sciences Center, New York City, from 1968 to 2000.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from Dickinson
College, his master's degree from Pennsylvania State University and
his doctorate in education from Temple University.
He was actively involved with numerous community
organizations and was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church,
Reading, where he was a Sunday school teacher for 38 years.
He was the husband of Phyllis W. (Wiest) Gilbert
and is also survived by two sons, Philip E. Gilbert and John W. Gilbert ’91;
and two daughters, Ruth G. (Gilbert) Schwartz and Carolyn (Gilbert)
Mayo. Other survivors include a brother, Robert I., and 13
grandchildren.
Brenda Ingram-Wallace, chair of the Psychology
Department, spoke to a crowd of hundreds at Gilbert’s memorial service. In her remarks
titled “Lessons of Love from the Life of Professor Edward Gilbert,” she
said, “Ed loved students...When students tried to slide through
his class or if he felt that they were not working up to their potential,
he would call them in and give them a pep talk. He didn’t
lower his
expectations; he raised their motivation. If a student had
problems be it family, finances or something else, Ed would
take the time to counsel them. Many of the
students referred to Ed as Grandpa and used the title with the
utmost respect.” |
