Who Was Donald Strong?
Pioneer Campus Counselor and Professor Donates to the University Archives
Donald Strong was the very first director of the Counseling Center at CSUH in the early 1960s. The University Archives already contained a collection of articles written by Dr. Strong. Then, two years ago, he approached the Library, and donated several boxes of historical campus memorabilia to the University Archives. Among the materials he had gathered over his decades on campus, are many contemporary newspaper accounts about the abrupt exit of the first college president, Fred Harcleroad (in 1967), numerous issues of a glossy university publication from the 1980s, the “Acacia”, and many very early college booklets and catalogs, some from 1961-1965. Strong’s generous donation contains material that is typical of some of the types of materials one can find in the Archives. Gathered from a personal point-of-view, these give valuable historical glimpses into CSUEB history.
Donald Strong’s campus presence spanned many decades. His good humor and easy smile were always appreciated by everyone he met. A tree was planted in his honor when he retired to his Fremont home, where he is still active.