Cornell 'family' bids adieu to Skorton, Davisson

Robin Davisson and David Skorton
Robert Barker/University Photography
Professor Robin Davisson and President David Skorton address the crowd of well-wishers at the "Bow Ties and Goodbyes" event May 1 in Barton Hall.
cake
Robert Barker/University Photography
Wegmans donated a cake featuring McGraw Tower and photos from Skorton and Davisson's nine years at Cornell.
students with David Skorton
Robert Barker/University Photography
Skorton poses for a picture with students sporting bow ties.
Robin Davisson and David Skorton in the crowd
Robert Barker/University Photography
An emotional Davisson and Skorton listen to tributes from community members.
David Skorton conducts the Big Red Marching Band
Robert Barker/University Photography
Skorton conducts the Big Red Marching Band.

Bow ties, the Big Red Marching Band, a giant clock tower cake and a long line of well-wishers filled Barton Hall May 1 to bid President David Skorton and Professor Robin Davisson a fond farewell after nine years at Cornell.

The celebration was open to all on campus, with food donated from Wegmans, Ned’s Pizzeria, Cornell Catering and other local businesses. Remarks from colleagues and friends abounded, as well as a Big Red Marching Band concert that included Skorton guest-conducting “Far Above Cayuga’s Waters.” The Cornell Dairy Bar served Banana Berry Skorton ice cream, the flavor debuted at Skorton’s inauguration in 2006.

Both Skorton and Davisson, clearly emotional, promised to remain part of the Cornell family that had embraced them. Skorton saluted the dedication of the Cornell staff, the “breathtaking” excellence and breadth of the faculty, the “obviously brilliant,” motivated and committed students, and his Day Hall administrative team – “for all the things you have done for me, and for all the things you will do for Beth Garrett,” he said.

“Leaders of any organization come and go ... What keeps the river flowing is you,” Skorton said.

Davisson praised and thanked her colleagues and her labs at the College of Veterinary Medicine and at Weill Cornell Medical College, and gave a shout-out to one of her favorite Ithaca organizations, the Sciencenter, and to her running group.

Master of ceremonies David Feldshuh, professor of performing and media arts, recapped the Skorton years and the unique things he brought professionally and personally to Cornell. From Skorton and Davisson spending time with freshmen in Donlon Hall each year, to Skorton’s musical prowess that landed him on stage with Billy Joel in 2011, Feldshuh touched on the many ways Skorton and Davisson embraced their time at Cornell and in Ithaca.

City of Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick ’09 thanked Skorton for his leadership, humor and grace, and for the relationship he’d forged with Cornell’s home community. Skorton, in turn, remarked, “Although I conferred his degree a few years ago, Svante has been my teacher in many things and has shown a lot of us what leadership can be.”

Representatives of all the campus governance groups presented Skorton a joint declaration thanking him for his leadership and wishing him well at the Smithsonian Institution, where he will become its 13th secretary. And Frank Robinson, former director of the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, presented a haiku:

“His legacy: He made a great university even greater.”

Media Contact

Joe Schwartz