By Joan C. McKinney, news and publications coordinator
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – If you missed having your book autographed by Dr. E. Bruce Heilman, member of Campbellsville University’s Board of Trustees who is chancellor at the University of Richmond, you will get another chance Monday, Feb. 23, when Heilman will be on campus autographing at the Barnes & Noble University Bookstore from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
His book is titled: “An Interruption that Lasted a Lifetime: My First Eighty Years.” Heilman is a 1949 graduate of CU.
Heilman, who at 82, completed a cross-country motorcycle drive last year, serves as chancellor at the University of Richmond, where he previously served as president.
“We are so honored to have Dr. Heilman hold this book signing at our bookstore,” said Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University. “Dr. Heilman, and his wife, the former Betty Dobbins, who graduated in 1948, are two of our most distinguished graduates who have given so much of their time and resources to Campbellsville University.
“We are so pleased to be able to sponsor this signing of the remarkable book that traces Dr. Heilman’s life from his early Kentucky childhood, his teenage years as a United States Marine, and his later years in higher education.
“We encourage everyone to come meet this man who has contributed so much to society and to Campbellsville University in particular.”
Military service played a pivotal role in launching Heilman’s distinguished career in higher education administration, according to a press release about his book.
The “poignant” memoir is divided into four sections that detail key periods in Heilman’s life. The first, “Formation,” begins with his birth in Smithfield, Ky., in 1926. His childhood, a lot of which was spent in LaGrange, Ky., provided him with a solid foundation upon which he built his life – a life that he thought would always be lived on the family dairy farm. As the years of war accelerated, those assumptions would change.
The portion of the book, titled “Transformations,” discusses Heilman’s service in the Marine Corps in combat in Okinawa and in post-war Japan. His memories, set in the historical context of letters he wrote to his mother, provide the story of not only how Heilman was transformed into a man with limitless possibilities, but also the story of how a great generation, now dwindling in numbers, was changed forever through combat and service.
Heilman progressed through obtaining his doctorate, raising a family of six and embarking on an impressive career in higher education and these years are highlighted in “Reclamation.” The final section of the book is an insightful look at the crucial role played by higher education leaders as told through the eyes of a man whose career in academia is well-marked with achievement.
With more than 50 years in higher education, Heilman has served as the president of a college and a major university and currently is a university chancellor.
The book, “An Interruption that Lasted a Lifetime: My First Eighty Years,” reveals an “engaging story of one man’s extraordinary life path, as well as the story of a generation who bravely suffered through a worldwide conflict and emerged to build the America of today,” the release says.
Heilman has served as chancellor at the University of Richmond since 1998 and was her president and chief executive officer for roughly 17 years prior to his current appointment.
After serving in the Marine Corps during World War II, Heilman earned his undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees from Vanderbilt University with majors in business administration and higher education administration.
He has taught at numerous institutions around the country and also was president of Meredith College for five years.
Among other honors, he was selected as one of the “100 Most Effective College and University Presidents in the USA” and was named as one of the “Richmond Area’s Most Influential People” in 1984 and 1986.
Heilman has traveled in 145 countries, and he and his wife are hosting an 11-day sightseeing experience in Southern Africa. That trip will be July 1-11.
The hardcover book is available at CU’s bookstore for $39.99. AuthorHouse is the publisher.
Campbellsville University is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 2,601 students who represent 93 Kentucky counties, 27 states and 31 foreign nations. Listed in U.S.News & World Report’s 2009 “America’s Best Colleges,” CU is ranked 22nd in “Best Baccalaureate Colleges” in the South for the second consecutive year. CU has been ranked 16 consecutive years with U.S.News & World Report. The university has also been named to America’s Best Christian Colleges®. Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his tenth year as president.