Johnson Chapel Associate Profile: Leslie T. Webster, Jr. 1947

Generations of Amherst students are familiar with the Webster family name, as it proudly identifies the old biology building, now home to Russian and Asian studies and theater and dance. And appropriately so, for, beginning with Les Webster’s father, Class of 1915, generations of Websters have been educated at this College on the Hill. As Les notes, one grandson is even named Jeffrey!

Les himself entered Amherst with the Class of 1947, leaving early for two semesters at Union College before directly entering Harvard Medical School, courtesy of the USNR V-12 program. Les remembers Amherst professors such as Glaser, Beebe, Schotté, Whicher, Marsh, Spurrier and Packard, who all were remarkable for their dedication, not only to their disciplines, but also to their students.

Les’s career choice was academic medicine, with faculty appointments at Northwestern and Case Western Reserve Universities. With a research interest in drug metabolism and antiparasitic drugs, he remains active as a research consultant for pediatric fellows and a teacher/advisor to first- and second- year medical students.

Thoughts on Giving to Amherst: "Rapidly escalating educational costs make it increasingly difficult to attract the diversity of gifted students and extraordinary faculty that Amherst requires. I’ve tried to help by joining the Johnson Chapel Associates and establishing a small student scholarship fund.”

The Johnson Chapel Associates society recognizes those alumni and friends who have named Amherst in their will and/or provided for the
college through a planned gift. For more information contact Timothy A. Neale ’70, Director of Planned Gifts, Amherst College, Amherst, MA 01002-5000, (413) 542-8256, taneale@amherst.edu.

Photo: Frank Ward