[flowplayer src=’https://csitoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Dr_Fred_Naider_854x480_web.mov’ splash=’https://csitoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Dr_Fred_Nader_Posterframe.png’ width=320 height=180]

Dr. Fred Naider, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at CSI, and Member of the Doctoral Faculty at The Graduate Center/CUNY, highlighted student achievements and the importance of scholarships during his acceptance speech of the President’s Medal at the second annual Celestial Ball.

After thanking the Ball committee and his family, friends, and colleagues, Dr. Naider told the attendees about his father, Leonard, known to his children as “The Old Sarge,” who fought at Normandy in World War II. Although Leonard never received a college degree, he valued education and worked hard to ensure that his children benefited from a good education. He also taught his children to recognize kindness and express their gratitude. With those sentiments in mind, Dr. Naider thanked CSI President Dr. Tomás D. Morales and Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. William Fritz for the honor of receiving the President’s Medal.

Dr. Naider then explained that he has “lived a privileged life…I am one of those people who just never left school. I have spent virtually all of my life learning, teaching, or doing research.” His main focus, however, was on the wonderful students at CSI with whom he has had the pleasure of working, including Dr. Leah Cohen, who recently attended a Nobel symposium in Germany. “At CSI, our students receive an education that is second to none, and they have the opportunity to inspire their teachers and, in turn, to hopefully absorb some of the passion that we have for our disciplines,” he added. Dr. Naider concluded his remarks with stories of CSI students who beat almost insurmountable odds to graduate and eventually become very successful in their scientific careers, noting that scholarship funds help to create more stories with happy endings like these.

View the CSI Today Photo Gallery and read the Celestial Ball article.

Make a Gift to the CSI Foundation.