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Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center
The Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center (commonly called the Levitt Center) is a Hamilton College institution dedicated to connecting academic study with public affairs, civic engagement, and community outreach. During the 1996–2003 period, the Center was directed by Paul Gary Wyckoff, Associate Professor of Government, and administered two flagship programs: the Levitt Scholars program (thesis presentation to high schools) and a Levitt Scholarship supporting student internships and research in public service.
Key Documented Appearances
Levitt Scholars Program: The Center’s signature academic program invited nominated students to present their senior theses to local high schools and in their hometowns. Participating departments as of 1996 included Government, Sociology, Public Policy, Philosophy, History, Biology, Geology, and Psychology. Students nominated by their departments took a public speaking course with Susan Mason and performed a dry-run presentation. Staff assistant Sally Carman coordinated scheduling with high schools. Dean Bobby Fong endorsed the program’s emphasis on oral communication skills. (The Spectator, March 1, 1996)
Paul Gary Wyckoff, Director: Wyckoff is consistently identified as the Center’s director from 1996 through at least 2002. He held the joint title “Director, Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center and Associate Professor of Government.” He is quoted on the Levitt Scholars program in 1996 and 1997, led a public policy seminar in fall 2000, and continued directing the Center through the Carovano presidency. (The Spectator, March 1, 1996; The Spectator, September 19, 1997; The Spectator, December 8, 2000)
Levitt Scholarships for student research: The Center also administered student scholarships supporting internships and research related to public affairs. A February 1998 article noted “Levitt Center Research Coordinator” and covered Levitt Scholars presenting their work in the community. (The Spectator, February 6, 1998)
Washington program connection: The Center is associated with the “Washington program” referenced in the 1997 strategic plan for Hamilton, alongside expanded campus network and other initiatives. (The Spectator, September 19, 1997)
Commencement connection: The Center appears in listings of campus resources and programming supporting civic engagement throughout the period. As of September 1997, the Center’s location is the Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center building on campus.
Context
The Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center is named for Arthur Levitt Sr., a prominent New York Democrat and Hamilton alumnus (father of Arthur Levitt Jr., who chaired the SEC under President Clinton). The Center occupies an institutional niche between the academic departments and the Dean of Students office, connecting classroom learning to public service. Its consistent presence in the Spectator across this period reflects its role as a steady programmatic anchor of Hamilton’s civic identity.