The Original Fellow: Marvin Bressler
February 13, 2019 | Princeton Athletics Fellows
Marvin Bressler, a sociologist who shaped undergraduate life at Princeton from 1963 until 2010, was the original Princeton Athletics Fellow and the inspiration for this program. The Chair of Princeton's Department of Sociology for two decades, Bressler's passion for scholarship was matched only by his commitment to serving as a mentor and friend to the men's basketball team, begun during the tenure of his friend, the legendary coach Pete Carril. As Athletic Director from 1994-2004, Gary Walters '67 created the Princeton Athletics Fellows program to honor, emulate, and expand Professor Bressler's legacy to Princeton academics and athletics. The Marvin Bressler Award is given annually to the member of University who best exemplifies Bressler's spirit. The Princeton Athletics Fellows program is the ultimate tribute to Marvin Bressler's enduring legacy.
In the classroom, Marvin Bressler focused on the influence of education on social behavior, the impact of society on idea systems, health care, cultural pluralism and the development of sociological theory. His publications included "Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Education Systems," co-written with Melvin Tumin and published in 1969 by the U.S. Office of Education. Other early works included "Indian Students on an American Campus" (1956), "The Potential Public Uses of the Behavior Sciences" (1967) and "To Suburbia, With Love" (1968). Bressler continued to publish during his academic career and after his retirement; a 1999 article, "Contemporary Sociology: A Quarter Century of Book Reviews," reflected on the state of the discipline. Always popular with alumni, Bressler won the 1994 Alumni Council Award for Service to Princeton.
Professor Bressler made time to support and encourage the student-athletes and coaches who upheld the proud tradition of Princeton basketball. More than a devoted fan, he was a confidant, a philosopher, and a true believer in the idea that athletics were an enhancement to the campus community. He knew that student-athletes earned their stripes at Princeton. Professor Bressler's eloquence was epic. So was his warmth, caring and humor. Hal Feiveson, who followed Professor Bressler's footsteps as a fellow to the men's basketball team, speculated that "no one, perhaps ever, [at Princeton] was a beloved mentor to so many students, and now alumni." Teach For America founder, Wendy Kopp praised her thesis advisor for his "love for young people and his belief in their idealism and initiative." Professor Bressler's strong and generous spirit inspires today's Princeton Athletics Fellows to "carry on!" in support of student-athletes who will achieve, serve and lead—now and into the future.