A Note from Gaston
Dear Colleagues,
We are all saddened by the passing last week of Jack Blackburn, our beloved friend and member of our Board of Trustees.
For nearly 20 years, the College Board has benefited from his service as a Trustee, an active member and a dear friend. Jack was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He listened thoughtfully to every voice and carefully weighed new ideas. His own voice was soft but assured. A resolute, fair and tenacious man, Jack carried us into his gentle sphere, quietly commanding the platform with his thoughtful, keen intelligence. His voice will be sorely missed, but the spirit that he so generously shared with our organization will remain.
This issue of Connection contains an article that memorializes his life and contributions to education, along with the words of some of those who knew Jack well. The strength of our organization comes from members like Jack, and I am deeply grateful for his contribution and for the countless others who, like Jack, contribute their time, talent and expertise to the College Board.
I will be seeing many of you in February at our regional forums, as I'll be attending each one. I especially value the opportunity to hear from you while I'm there. Please don't hesitate to let me know what's on your mind. I'm particularly interested to hear how the current economic conditions are affecting your schools and colleges. I'll be sharing information with you about the transformative work that we're doing at the College Board to meet the needs of you, our members, the educational community at large and our nation.
For those of you unable to attend a forum, next month's issue of Connection will include in-depth coverage of each forum, including the information that I share with attendees.
