This week I had the opportunity and honor to attend the 37th annual Fogel Dinner. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to actually “Meet The Fogels”, but I definitely met them in spirit.
Who Are The Fogels?
Dr. Fogel and Mrs. Enid Fogel were two wonderful members of the Booth community. So much so that we are still celebrating their contributions today, even after their passings.
To give a little color to their story, and why we were all invited to this beautiful dinner, Associate Dean Jessica Jaggers told us their story. Dr.Fogel and Mrs.Enid, native New Yorkers, fell in love and got married in the 1940s. Clearly, their lives were never meant to be easy because of their love for each other – but their love exceeded all expectations.
Dr. Robert Fogel was a Chicago Booth professor, and a Nobel Laureate – winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in Economics. He studies the economic role of slavery and clarified the role of the railways for the development of the economy in the United States.
Although the dinner was held at Booth’s Gleacher Center downtown, until Mrs.Enid passed away the dinner was held at their home in Hyde Park. Jessica claimed that Mrs.Enid and Dr. Fogel were very traditional, and if one of our kind men forgot to wear a tie or jacket then they would have to find one in Dr.Fogel’s closet so they could join for dinner. Students would laugh and eat as Dr.Fogel’s Nobel Prize hung out on the shelf in a corner.
The 37th Fogel dinner carried the Fogel’s spirit of creating a family environment and celebrating the beautiful diversity that we have at Booth. Current 1Y and 2Y students mingled with alum as we ate the same meal that has been served for decades: Salad, mashed potatoes, asparagus, roasted chicken and a pot roast.
I wish we had the pleasure of knowing the Fogels, I am sure they would have had endless stories to share and lots of love to give. And would be proud to see how far we’ve come.
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