THE WHITEBREAD AWARD
The WHITEBREAD Award Is now being funded by his former students. It allows one faculty member from THE LAW SCHOOL to participate in the Mead program each year AND SUPPORTs MEAD PROGRAMS ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY.
Charlie Whitebread was an extremely popular professor in the Law School from 1968 to 1981, packing classrooms in Trusts and Estates, Criminal Procedure and Juvenile Courts. He initiated the course of “The Lawyers Role,” a book group which met one evening a week in students’ homes. He thrived in interacting with students throughout the University. Charlie offered small undergraduate seminars and sponsored independent study within the College. While teaching at the University, he also taught weekly evening classes at both Georgetown and the FBI Academy.
Residing in the Echols Scholar dorm in his early years, Charlie served as unofficial mentor to Echols Scholars throughout his tenure, supervised all New Dorms resident advisors and provided outdoor feasts for hundreds while living there.
When 88 students were arrested during anti-war protests in May of 1970, he was instrumental in their release without bail from Charlottesville jail by the next morning, and helped President Edgar Shannon maintain relative peace throughout the demonstrations. By virtue of trust earned during those times, students asked him to speak at Honor Orientations in U-Hall until his departure.
Charlie was a regular attendee of a dinner club drawing students, faculty and administrators every month. When he finally left the dorms to a hilltop home, undergraduate and law students alike continued to be welcome for meals and comradery. His favorite time of year, though, was Halloween. Charlie rented a hall for a costume party each year for over 150 law students at his expense, and was the first faculty member of P.U.M.P.K.I.N. Society.
Charlie epitomized the student-faculty relationship Mead hopes to currently foster.
Fundraising is now in progress for this award.