The following was contributed by a University of Oregon Junior, Kevin Frazier. This piece reflects the view of the author and not those of Emerald Media Group.
All Oregonians should mourn the loss of Dave Frohnmayer. He unquestionably will be remembered as one of Oregon’s preeminent leaders – each of whom has recognized the value of investing in the future. In particular, Dave acknowledged and acted upon the value of providing young Oregonians with the tools required to excel academically. Similarly, as Attorney General, he proudly represented Oregon at the highest legal levels. In his capacity as President of the University of Oregon, he regularly spoke about the need to restore Oregon’s reputation for creating a solid foundation – through education, infrastructure and health care – off of which everyone could strive towards their goals. An examination of his extensive public service career reveals Dave’s selflessness and dedication to the wellbeing of his constituents.
I had the distinct pleasure of occasionally meeting with Dave to discuss politics and to ask him for advice regarding everything from law school to my schedule for next term. Each meeting I left with a boost of confidence due to his warm demeanor and candidness. Even though I was only an undergraduate student, he regularly took time out of his schedule to sit down for a chat. I will never forget his willingness to help steer the next generation of leaders in the right direction. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to take his leadership class at the University of Oregon. In talking to students that have, I was not surprised to hear that Dave challenged them to never stop believing in their ability to incite positive change.
Trying to emulate Dave’s care for his family, devotion to his community and foresight represents an arduous task for any aspiring public servant. Nevertheless, I believe we should all try our best to do so. He provided us all with an incredible example of academic as well as professional excellence. We are fortunate to have had such an impressive person represent us as a Rhodes scholar, State Representative and Attorney General. The nation and the state would be far better off if we had more leaders like Dave Frohnmayer. He realized that our present political environment has had a deleterious effect on our ability to invest current resources in the types of programs that will ensure future gains. It is my sincere hope that his legacy will inspire current and future leaders to be more pragmatic and less shortsighted.