Maxwell School News and Commentary

Zoe Tatum Best, a rising senior majoring in political science, is the recipient of this year’s Matthew Ross Wanetik Memorial Scholarship, which honors the life of a Maxwell School student who passed away from an undetected heart ailment while studying abroad in 2008. 

Latest cohort of graduates receive degrees as Maxwell celebrates its centennial. 

Born on July 30, 1924, she was just three months old when the school was founded by entrepreneur George H. Maxwell. Some 18 years later, Rudolph—whose maiden name is Millinger—left her home in New York to attend the school, which fostered her lifelong interest in world affairs, politics and government.

The late professor was instrumental in shaping citizenship curriculum and impacted thousands of students in his more than 40 years on the faculty. 

Marguerite J. Fisher was a revered teacher known for her international scholarship and activism for domestic social issues. 

The Maxwell School has evolved to meet the needs of an increasingly interconnected world while continuing its focus on citizenship. 

The educational and research resource will create “new, urgently needed, accessible opportunities for the humanities to speak to public health and broaden access to humanities higher learning opportunities,” says Professor Amy Fairchild, who is principal investigator (PI).

Doris “Dottie” Payson ’57 passed away on Feb. 12, 2024, at the age of 87. She served on the Maxwell Advisory Board from 1998 to 2013 and was a life member of the University’s Board of Trustees, which she joined in 2000.

Ralph Hockley ’49 B.A. (RusSt) passed away on Nov. 8, 2023. He was 98. He fought valiantly to defend the U.S. and other allied countries against Nazis and threats to democracy through two wars and beyond. 

Roland Droitsch ’65 M.A. (PSc), who served as the deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Labor, passed away in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Jan. 26, 2024. He was 82.