Bert Kerstetter ’66 To Be Honored As Marvin Bressler Award Recipient
5/20/2026
Bert Kerstetter ’66 is the recipient of the 2026 Marvin Bressler Award, presented to that member of the Princeton family who, through heartfelt support of the University's student-athletes and coaches, best embodies a belief in the lifelong lessons taught by competition and athletics as a complement to the overall educational mission. Kerstetter will be honored at the Gary Walters ’67 PVC Awards Banquet on Thursday, May 21, in Jadwin Gymnasium. For a full list of previous recipients of the Marvin Bressler Award, click here.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor Bert with this year’s Marvin Bressler Award in recognition of his generosity, support and steadfast belief in Princeton Athletics and our mission of Education Through Athletics,” said Ford Family Director of Athletics John Mack ’00. “He is incredibly invested in all things Princeton Athletics, and the holistic experience and growth of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, alike. He has help launch a number of impactful programs and initiatives both within Athletics and across the University, and we are so fortunate to have him as a loyal member of our team around the team.”
A former Princeton football student-athlete and philosophy major, Kerstetter helped the Tigers to Ivy Legue championships in 1963 and 1964. As a Single Wing Fullback, Kerstetter started every game for a team that achieved a 17-game winning streak and set offensive records that lasted for decades. The 1964 team went a perfect 9-0, outscoring its opponents 216-53, and remains one of only two Princeton teams to go undefeated in the Ivy League era. He continues to spearhead meaningful reunions and gatherings for his teams, while supporting the Princeton Football Association at large.
In honor of his Princeton head coach J.L. “Jake” McCandless ’51, Kerstetter established the Jake McCandless ’51 PVC Speaker Series in 2005 to bring speakers to campus to engage the Princeton community in topics that reflect the educational values inherent in the intercollegiate athletics experience. Since its inception, the series has featured more than 25 speakers, including Professors, Olympians, Civil Rights Activists, Sports Professionals and Team Owners, and more.
Kerstetter served as a member of the Princeton Varsity Club Board of Directors for two decades and helped to develop and support several key Department of Athletics priorities. Through this capacity, Kerstetter worked closely with fellow board members and the Faculty Advisory Committee on Athletics (FACA) to spearhead the creation of an Assistant Dean role. Residing in the Office of the Dean of the College, the position supports and manages the relationship between academic and athletic affairs, including the academic experience for more than 1,000 varsity student-athletes annually.
More recently, Kerstetter has championed the ongoing development of the annual Tiger Coaches Summit, which will host its fifth iteration this summer. A priority initiative of the Department of Athletics, the annual gathering provides a space for coaches to share ideas and best practices while offering a unique blend of program benchmarking, professional development and relationship building across the department. Kerstetter has collaborated with coaches and administrators on ways to best support the program, as well as advising on opportunities for continued growth and evolution.
Kerstetter’s impact to Princeton has stretched far beyond Athletics. He has partnered closely with the Center for Human Values, including support of the Human Value Forum as well as a freshman seminar focusing on the relationship between the sports experience and personal ethical development. He endowed numerous faculty positions, including the Bert G. Kerstetter '66 University Professor of Sociology, and Bert G. Kerstetter '66 University Professor of Politics and International Affairs. Additionally, Kerstetter has supported programming and efforts through the Princeton Environmental Institute, Initiative for African Conservation, Faith & Work Initiative, Princeton Prize in Race Relations, and Financial Aid, to name a few. What sets Kerstetter apart is that he not only financially supports research and intellectual curiosity, but he is also an active participant. A frequent attendee of on-campus lectures and seminars, Kerstetter can often be found sitting next to students, faculty and staff engaging in a wide range of topics and investing in the people who make Princeton extraordinary.
“I knew Professor Bressler very well from the time I was first appointed as President of Princeton University and I had many opportunities in the subsequent years to discuss with him the relationship of our athletic programs to the overall mission of the university,” said Harold Shapiro, President Emeritus, Professor of Economics and Public Affairs. “In my judgement Bert Kerstetter has been one of the most thoughtful and enthusiastic supporters of Professor Bressler’s notions of just how our athletic programs not only provided special opportunities for talented student-athletes, but how the members of Princeton’s intercollegiate teams enhanced the general mission of the University and the experience of undergraduates here at Princeton.”
Kerstetter earned his law degree from Yale University in 1969, before becoming President of Everfast Inc. based in Kennett Square, Pa. Additionally, he has served as the long-time CEO of Calico Corners, offering quality fabrics and custom upholstered furniture along with in-home design consultants across more than 80 stores nationwide. An avid outdoorsman, Kerstetter has also dedicated his time and support to a number of environmental initiatives throughout his career.
