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It is hard to imagine what Minnesota State would be like without Michael Fagin. His modesty and humble nature would never let him admit it, but Fagin has done a lot to further diversity at the university.
On Friday, Fagin's colleagues, family, friends and dozens of current and former students gathered to pay tribute to the man they call "Doc." Noted attendees included President Richard Davenport and Mayor John Brady.
The event was part of the 34th incarnation of the Pan-African Student Leadership Conference Fagin founded in 1977. On this afternoon, the conference itself was renamed after Fagin.
"Today we are truly honoring our own," said Davenport.
For much of his career, Fagin has served as an administrator. As director of the Minority Groups Studies Center, associate vice president for Cultural Diversity, dean of Institutional Diversity, and vice president for Institutional Diversity, he has served under five presidents.
Though the conference now carries his name, Fagin's true legacy is something less tangible.
"His [Fagin's] unselfish devotion to bettering the lives of all people is well known," Davenport said. "That is his legacy."
After Davenport officially renamed the conference, it was Mayor Brady's turn to honor Fagin.
"I get to do a lot of fun things in my job," Brady said. "One of my favorites is mayoral proclamations."
Brady went on to proclaim the day "Dr. Michael T. Fagin Pan-African Student Leadership Conference Day."
Before ending his short address, Brady called Fagin to the stage.
"I've been calling Michael Fagin my brother for a long time," he said before the two embraced.
After years in the administration, Fagin is returning to teach as a professor in the ethnic studies department, a fact which made Friday's lunch somewhat bittersweet.
"Dr Fagin isn't going anywhere," Davenport was quick to remind the crowd. "His commitment to diversity is truly unwavering."
Fagin didn't seem upset to no longer carry the title of vice president.
"I've returned to the classroom," Fagin said, "but I'll still be working very closely with our president on issues related to diversity."
Whatever his official job title, Fagin's role as the driving force behind the Pan-African Conference is sure not to change. With next year's conference only 358 days away, Fagin is looking ahead.
"We'll mail out conference notes to the delegates next week and we'll have the theme for next year's conference by early April," Fagin said in an interview Thursday.
After 30-plus years, an event can become repetitive and stale, but according to Fagin, that is not the case with the Pan-African Conference.
"Society is not fixed, not stagnant, but fluid and ongoing," Fagin said. "So the conference is always fresh. It's as fresh as Obama."
All of Fagin's year-round efforts, as well as the efforts of conference planning committee members like Cheryl Chatman and Mahmoud El-Kati, have one purpose: education.
"The success of the conference is in student learning," Fagin said.
Fagin's philosophy on life seems to be a simple one. After Davenport and Brady were finished, Fagin stepped to the podium and summed it all up using the words of The Paradoxical Commandments.
"People are illogical, unreasonable and self-centered. Love them anyway … The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway…What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway."
Blaine Taylor Martin is a Reporter staff writer
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