March 25, 2008 President Rebecca Chopp's remarks on the passing of Harvey Picker '36: It is with great sadness I write with the news that Harvey Picker ’36 passed away on March 22. A trustee emeritus, Harvey enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a scientist, an educator, an expert in international relations, and a lover of art, music and culture. Harvey’s broad appreciation for all areas of intellectual inquiry can be seen in Colgate’s initiatives that bear his family’s name: the Jean Picker Chair, in memory of his wife, who served as ambassador to the United Nations and as a trustee of Colgate; the Harvey Picker Scholarship; the Picker Classroom in the Case Library and Geyer Center for Information Technology; the Harvey Picker ’36 Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies in the Sciences and Mathematics; and the Picker Art Gallery, named for Picker himself in 1936, when his parents, James and Evelyn, established a scholarship in his honor. Harvey's most recent gifts to Colgate, supporting the Picker Institute and the Picker Gallery, demonstrate his interest in ensuring today’s students are well versed in the sciences and have an appreciation for the arts. In announcing his $6 million commitment to support these important strategic initiatives, he said, “I have been impressed with Colgate’s sensitivity to the skills that will be needed by its graduates and the recognition that most problems our civilization faces are not solved by a single field of science, but have to be solved by an understanding of the relationship of two or more sciences. Also impressive is Colgate's well-balanced approach. Since it remains dedicated to the liberal arts, as it improves its scientific competence it also is greatly enhancing its fine arts capabilities so that graduates will have had access to a well- rounded education.” During his time at Colgate, Harvey was a physics major and a member of Sigma Chi and Masque and Triangle, the university’s student theater organization. He graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and attended Oxford University and Harvard University, where he earned his master’s degree in business administration with distinction. He served as a lieutenant commander in the U. S. Navy during World War II before joining the Picker Corp., founded by his father, James Picker. He was chief executive officer of the company, manufacturers of X-ray and nuclear instruments, from 1946 until 1968 and remained chairman of the board until 1982. His scientific achievements include the development of ultrasound prenatal scans, several types of radiotherapy treatments, and portable X-ray units. A true lifelong learner in the Colgate tradition, Harvey returned to Columbia University at age 50 to earn his doctorate and, following two years as an adjunct professor at Colgate, served as dean of the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. In 1983, Harvey retired from his position to devote himself to charitable projects and a wide variety of public service projects. Most notable was his creation of the concept of patient-centered health care through the Picker Institute, a not-for-profit entity with offices in the United States, German, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. A recipient of an honorary degree from Colgate in 1969, Harvey was a charter member of the James B. Colgate Society and a recipient of the Maroon Citation and the Wm. Brian Little ’64 Alumni Award for Distinguished Service. For so many years, Harvey exhibited the values, skills and vision that we aspire to for all Colgate students. Each conversation was made rich by his spirit of curiosity, his willingness to learn the facts, his temperate spirit, and his dedication to reason. While we will miss Harvey greatly, we are ever grateful for the ways in which he inspired us all.

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