11/8/2002
Gives the Term ‘Eternal Pledge’ New Meaning
By Matt Espenshade ’95, Secretary of the Corporation Board
Ending what is probably the longest pledge period in the history of the fraternity, John Cairns Jr. was initiated into Alpha Zeta on March 13, 2002, during a special ceremony in Blacksburg, Va. Several members of the Morrill Chapter, in conjunction with the Alpha Zeta chapter of Virginia Tech, officially welcomed our newest brother to the organization.
“Sixty years ago I hoped to become a member of Alpha Zeta,” said Cairns in a recent letter. “Now, at 78, I finally made it!”
Dr. Cairns’ story is quite unusual. In the early 1940s, while beginning his undergraduate studies in biochemistry at Penn State University, Cairns completed the pledge program at AZ. However, before he could be initiated as a brother, he left school to serve his country during World War II. Upon his return home, Cairns married his fiancee, Jean, who was also majoring in biochemistry at Penn State. However, at that time, there was no housing available for married couples. Cairns left Penn State and finished his undergraduate studies at Swarthmore College in 1947.
After Swarthmore, Cairns went on to earn an MS and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, which led to a long and distinguished career in the field of environmental biology. His list of honors and accomplishments is quite extensive. He has served as vice president and president of the American Microscopical Society, served on 18 national research councils (two as chairman) and is currently serving on 14 editorial boards. In addition, Cairns has authored 56 books. With over 1,400 publications to his credit, he has achieved a level of expertise that few of us will ever reach. In November 2001, Cairns received the Sustained Achievement Award from The Renewable Natural Resources Foundation. His most recent project, Goals and Conditions for a Sustainable World, is available to be read free of charge online at www.esep.de/journals/esep/esepbooks.html.
Currently, Cairns is a professor emeritus at Virginia Tech. He and his wife reside in Blacksburg, Va.
The Morrill Chapter learned of Dr. Cairns’ story during the capital fund-raising campaign. Art Keen, president of the corporation board of directors, contacted Cairns about being a class agent. Cairns mentioned that, technically, he was not a true member of Alpha Zeta since he was never initiated. At the next meeting, president Keen brought the matter to the attention of the corporation board. It was the decision of the board to finish what had been started – to make Cairns an official member.
“Dr. Cairns’ exemplary career should be an inspiration to us all,” said president Keen. “The fact that he has supported AZ financially and emotionally, while not a member, is extraordinary.”
Contacts were made with the Virginia Chapter of AZ at Virginia Tech through Charlene Shupp, a former chancellor and Virginia Chapter alumnus. The leaders of Virginia Chapter were more than willing to host the event, and soon the wheels were put in motion for our trip to Blacksburg.
Three undergraduate members of the Morrill Chapter volunteered to represent the fraternity at the initiation. Michael Flinchbaugh ’02, John Stinavage ’03 and Jessica Worobey ’04 traveled from State College to meet up with Charlene Shupp and I, and then traveled on to Blacksburg.
Everyone arrived at the Virginia Tech campus around midnight on Tuesday, March 12. The next morning, the undergraduates and alumni met with John White ’65, the associate dean of agriculture at Virginia Tech and an alumnus of the Morrill Chapter. Dean White has been a strong supporter of Virginia Tech’s Alpha Zeta chapter throughout the years.