An Interruption That Lasted a Lifetime: My First Eighty Years

by E. Bruce Heilman

"I am proud to know Dr. E. Bruce Heilman as a Marine, educator and friend. He is a man of great character and the embodiment of our Core Values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. Drawing "inspiration" from his rural upbringing and his Marine Corps service as a sergeant during World War II, Dr. Heilman's career in higher education and his successes as president and chancellor of a college and university are testimony to what determination and motivation can do. His leadership as a member and chairman of the boards for both the Marine Corps University and the Marine Military Academy, combined with his service on the boards of the Marine Heritage Foundation and the Marine Association have dramatically improved our Corps and speak volumes to his legacy as a leader, educator and Marine Corps visionary. He is a founder and member of the Commandant's Circle in the Museum of the Marines, and remains active in Marine Corps aff airs. In summary, I can off er Dr. Heilman no greater compliment than to say he is a great American, a tremendous family man, and an outstanding Marine! Semper Fi!" - Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James T. Conway "While living up to his own high values, Bruce worked his way up so many ladders that he may have lost count." - Dr. Edward J. Boling, President Emeritus, University of Tennessee

664 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Rob McClintock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruce Heilman was one of the most charismatic leaders I have had the privilege of meeting. He completed his memoirs at the age of 80, some 13 years before he died. His was an incredible journey from a tough, hardscrabble life growing up on a farm in rural Kentucky. The interruption of World War II, which sent him to the Marine Corps fundamentally changed his life and turned him back toward getting an education and becoming, ultimately, a superb college president at Meredith College and then as president at the University of Richmond. He oversaw the implementation and transformation of the University of Richmond, from a small struggling regional university to a leading national liberal arts university - catalyzed by a substantial investment from the Robins family. I was most fortunate to be on campus at UR while this transformation was taking place. His leadership qualities, personified by hard work, an abiding faith, family, vision, and bold thinking are highlighted in this massive book, which keeps the reader engaged. He got a little repetitious near the end, but his life and his legacy can serve as real lessons for anyone who aspires to go beyond the mistakes and missed opportunities of our youth. His life shows that we can overcome adversity and achieve things we can hardly imagine if we stay focused on our goals and work unwaveringly to attain them. I am simply in awe of how much this man could accomplish in one day - much less a lifetime. A great read by a great man.