Scholars program aims to attract 'best and brightest'

Today it's hard to believe that international students were ever considered "rare" at Tufts, but Israeli-born Joseph Neubauer certainly remembers a time when foreign students were an uncommon sight on campus.

Neubauer entered Tufts as a freshman in 1959 -- only three years after moving to the United States. Neubauer did not speak much English and his parents were not entirely understanding of his desire to study higher education in the United States at the time.

"But, they stuck me in the basement of Carmichael freshman year, so my parents thought I was getting some sort of discounted education," Neubauer joked.

Tuition at the time of his enrollment was around $800 a year, he said.

Neubauer admitted that he struggled with his freshman year, but after pledging a fraternity sophomore year and excelling on the soccer field, he began to adjust and learn to love his environment.

One of Neubauer's fellow fraternity brothers at the time was Nathan Gantcher (A '62).

Neubauer also described how relations between the opposite sexes have changed at Tufts over the years. As a dormitory proctor his junior year, he was technically responsible for monitoring students' doors when there were members of the opposite sex present.

"We all perfected the art of 'ajar,'" he said. "Did it mean closed? Open enough so that light shone through?"

It was during his senior year that Neubauer had his first experience with what he would later be dealing with at ARAMARK: the food service business. As steward of his fraternity, Neubauer was in charge of monitoring the sandwiches and milk concession and delivery route around campus.

"That's where I learned a lot about entrepreneurship. We knew that the closer to the end of the day it was, the cheaper we'd sell the food. If it was a rainy or snowy day, we'd raise the prices a bit, since no one wanted to come out of their rooms," he said.

Upon graduating from Tufts with a BS from the School of Engineering, as well as with a solid foundation in economics, Neubauer was encouraged to study business at the University of Chicago, where he is also a trustee.

"I'll never forget the event at Tufts that changed my life. I was taking a final exam in advanced microeconomics, and one of the answers was something so unexpected -- it was nothing we had really studied before. But I was the only one who got the right answer, thanks to some of the knowledge I had from my engineering classes," Neubauer said. His professor later took Neubauer aside and discussed the possibility of business school.

Neubauer also named his German professor, current University Professor Sol Gittleman, as another prominent professor during his time at Tufts.

Neubauer later married his wife, Jeanette, a current trustee at Brandeis University. They now live together in Philadelphia and have made a name for themselves as pioneers in philanthropy. Neubauer himself was once chair of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Neubauer officially became a trustee at Tufts in 1986, and since then he continues to give "generous donations" to the University, Vice President of University Advancement Brian Lee said. Neubauer's most prized donation, however, has been to the current group of 18 undergraduate students in the Neubauer Scholars program, created three years ago.

"The mission of the Neubauer Scholars program is to bring the best and the brightest to Tufts. These are students who have the opportunity to attend any college program they would like, but with the Scholars option, they are given a mentored experience and sometimes a stipend for research," Lee said. "[Neubauer] is very passionate about connecting with these students, developing a relationship with them."

The Scholars were to have dinner with the Neubauers after his speech in Barnum last evening.

Aside from the Scholars and alumni programs, Neubauer has also remained a part of the Academic Council, often meeting with President Bacow, the provost, and various deans to discuss the role of philanthropy in a university setting, Lee said.

A professorship has also been established by Neubauer -- the Max and Herta Neubauer Professorship -- in memory of his parents, which is currently held by economics professor Yannis Ioannides.