Campus & Community

Army chief of staff reminisces about DU during Korbel Dinner

Gen. George W. Casey Jr., chief of staff of the U.S. Army, thanked several of his former professors at theJosef Korbel School of International Studies Oct. 14 while delivering the keynote address during the 11th annual Korbel Dinner.

Casey (MA ’80) was presented with the school’s Distinguished Alumni Award before delivering the keynote. Also honored at the event were Jane and Fred Hamilton, who were given the Korbel Humanitarian Award.

It was 30 years ago in January that Casey enrolled at DU to study international studies while stationed in Colorado Springs, Colo. He took time during the address to thank three of his professors — Arthur Gilbert, Karen Feste and Jonathan Adelman — for their work and what they taught him. All three are still teaching at the Korbel School.

“How fortunate I was to have studied here,” Casey said. “I had no idea at the time that I would do some of the things I’ve done.”

Casey pointed to his many dealings with foreign governments and their militaries as examples of the extraordinary life he’s led since leaving DU. Casey was the commander of multinational forces in Iraq for 32 months before being named chief of staff in April 2007.

Casey is based in Washington, D.C., at the Pentagon but travels around the world representing the United States Army. Following the dinner, he went straight to Denver International Airport where a plane was waiting to take him to India for an official visit.

Before Casey’s keynote address, Jane and Fred Hamilton were honored for their work at the University and in the Denver community. The Hamilton Family Recital Hall in the Newman Center for the Performing Arts and the Ritchie Center’s Hamilton Gymnasium are named for them.

Approximately 600 people attended the dinner, which raises money for scholarships and center and institutes at the Josef Korbel School.

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