By Heather Fabritze
News Co-Editor
This past summer saw three losses among the Washington College community, including
integral and longstanding members of the Board of Visitors and Governors, the President’s
office, and faculty.
Thomas Maddux III, who passed away on June 15, was a 95-year-old business executive. He
served as a member of the BVG for over 20 years, providing insight on the Investment, Financial
Affairs, and Trustees Committees.
Students would best recognize his contributions to WC’s numerous capital projects, including
the John S. Toll Science Center, Hodson Boathouse, Benjamin A. Johnson Fitness Center, and
Daniel Z. Gibson Center for the Arts.
His passion for public and financial service carried into every aspect of his life. According to
an article on WC’s official website, he served as both the Secretary of Economic and Community
Development for the state of Maryland and the chairman of the Maryland Board of Higher
Education.
Annie Coleman, who gave 33 years of service to Bunting Hall as the executive assistant to
seven WC presidents, passed on June 20 at the age of 74. The College previously honored her
love and dedication to her career when they named her an honorary alumna in 2016.
“Annie Coleman was genuine, gracious, and always committed to making sure people at the
College, from Board members to students and staff, were treated with empathy and respect,”
John S. Toll Professor of Business Management Dr. Michael Harvey said. “She set the standard
for doing your job with compassion and empathy, and everyone who worked with her was
inspired by her example.”
In December 2010, the Eugene B. Casey Foundation created a $1 million endowed scholarship
fund in her honor, rewarding high-performing students in Kent County. Coleman herself gave
input on the scholarship recipient each year.
In lieu of flowers, her family requested those grieving to donate to the Annie Brown Coleman
Scholarship.
“Coleman cared for everyone in her community,” an article on WC’s official website said.
“That community was both hyper-local—Chestertown, Washington College, and Kent
County—and expansive, in that she included everyone tied to those touchstones.”
Dan Premo, who taught in the political science department for over three decades, passed away
on July 4 after suffering a stroke. His speciality was Latin America, and he spent summers
traveling across communities to gain vast cultural experience. Each year, he would write
analyses of the political landscapes in a select few countries for the Hoover Institution at
Stanford University.
He used his worldly experience to create the very first study abroad program for Cuba at WC.
He also helped develop the Latin American Studies Program, which is now an offered minor.
According to an article on WC’s website, he was influential to the WC community because his
“counsel” was derived from a “passionate belief in justice and a universal kindness he extended
to others.”
Faculty in the political science department honored him in 2010 through the creation of the
Daniel L. Premo prize, which is awarded to a graduating student in political science or
international studies with promise in public diplomacy. He remained closely involved with the
WC Academy of Lifelong Learning even after his retirement.
“Dan Premo was one of the kindest people I ever met…He was warm, welcoming, and so
happy to talk about the wonderful students at Washington College,” Dr. Harvey said. “After I got
[my] job and we became colleagues, that never changed. I’ll always remember Dan’s gentle
smile, his constant encouragement, and his quiet pride in his scholarship and his teaching. He
was a modest man, but he knew the enormous impact he had on so many students.”
Services were held for all three members of the WC community over the summer, open to any
mourners who wished to attend.