A contingent of visitors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology flew down to Vero Beach last week to present Windsor resident Bradford M. Endicott with the Catherine N. Stratton Award in the Arts, honoring his extraordinary contributions to MIT as a philanthropist and volunteer, particularly with the Council for the Arts at MIT (CAMIT).
Endicott has been a member of CAMIT since its founding in 1972 as a private community arts foundation, supporting MIT students, faculty and staff.
The award ceremony and luncheon took place at the stunning home of Endicott and wife Mona, and was also attended by family members and several local MIT alumni. Guests gathered in the living room, where a portrait over the fireplace portrayed Endicott as a young boy in front of Endicott House, the historic family home donated to MIT for use as a conference center.
Susan Cohen, CAMIT Director, spoke briefly about Endicott, who graduated from MIT with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1949, before completing his education at Harvard Business School. Endicott’s admiration for MIT has remained steadfast, as has his influence in expanding the scope of the institution. He served for 20 years as chairman of the CAMIT Grants committee, funded the creation of a rehearsal and performance facility for the Endicott World Music Program, and has impacted the lives of hundreds through his arts advocacy.
“He is generous with his time and treasure to be sure, but I remember best his generosity of spirit, good humor and his great laugh. We had a good time around that conference table,” said Cohen. “He helped make the grants program what it is today; basically the most important program of the council, and a way for our members to have a direct impact on MIT students, faculty and staff. I cannot tell you how happy I am to be here with Brad, a wonderful man.”
CAMIT member Ellen Berman served many years with Endicott on the grants committee, and remembered that whenever there was a question about whether an application was worthy, he would consider not necessarily how well it was written, but what the project would mean to a student if it were funded.
“These were kids who were astrophysics majors, biochemists or engineers, but they wanted to do a project in the arts to expand their horizons, and Brad was always so patient and so generous,” said Berman. “Because of all the things he’s done over a whole lifetime at MIT, we are honoring him with this very, very special award.”
She said the award had been designed by a student and produced in the MIT glass lab, which in years past produced glass for science experiments and today has become a highly popular art glass studio.
“Brad – here’s to a wonderful lifetime of memories with MIT, great contributions and extreme generosity, and lasting impact on all that you had on everyone there,” said Berman, leading guests in a champagne toast. “We still hear from students today who say the grants have changed their lives.”
Endicott credited former MIT President Jerome B. Wiesner, the forward-thinking founder of CAMIT, and Stratton for wanting to develop the “whole human being” through the creation of an arts program. Before then, as when he attended, he said there was only one music course, and English was geared more toward learning how to write reports than to read literature.
“They felt scientists and engineers needed to have a greater appreciation of the world around them,” added Berman. “It makes people far more productive if they have arts in their background. It makes their minds more flexible and creative.”
“The thing I love about MIT is that it’s always ready to try something new,” said Endicott. “MIT has moved ahead and I’m so pleased and proud to have been a part of it. It’s just been a wonderful experience; I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I could go on for hours talking about the wonders of that great institution.”
