A special celebration during Reunion marked the 10th anniversary of the Fleck Consistent Giving Society, which honors alumni, parents, and friends who recognize the value of consistent support for the College by giving for five or more consecutive years.
The society includes more than 6,700 members, an increase of more than 75 percent since it was established in 2005.
Fleck Society members who reach the 10-year mark in consistent giving receive a decorative brick, engraved with their name and class year, which is displayed on the Quad. When the society was founded, more than 2,300 alumni, parents, and friends were recognized with these bricks. Now, there are more than 4,200 members who have given for 10 or more straight years. Their bricks line walkways on the Quad, serving as an inspiration to the campus community and visitors alike.
Young alumni now have a new opportunity to become members of the Fleck Society. Members of the 10 most recent graduating classes will be inducted after three years of consistent giving, and those who reach the five-year mark will receive an engraved brick on the Quad.
The society is named in honor of Cyrus S. Fleck Sr. ’20. An active presence at Lafayette for more than three-quarters of a century, he served as a member of the board of trustees for 47 years and was the inaugural recipient of the Lafayette Medal for Distinguished Service. At the time of his death in 2000, 12 days before his 101st birthday, he was the College’s oldest living alumnus.
The service of Fleck’s son, the late Cyrus S. Fleck Jr. ’52, to Lafayette also is remarkable. His career at the College spanned 44 years, including 32 years as registrar. An annual award recognizing an administrator’s outstanding contributions to the campus community is named for him.
At the anniversary celebration, which was also attended by members of the Marquis Society and the Porter Society, the College honored the Fleck family’s legacy of devotion and service. President Alison Byerly presented Jane Fleck, the widow of Cy Junior, and their daughters, Meredith Fleck and Shelby Slayton, with commemorative photographs. She also presented gifts to granddaughters Charlotte and Avery Slayton.
“The College is immensely grateful to the Fleck family for its support over multiple generations,” Byerly said. “Jane has not only been a friend of the College, but a friend to my own family since the day we moved in. It is a pleasure to thank her once again on this special occasion.”