Portrait unveiled, walkway dedicated as former President Mark Burstein returns to campus

Former Lawrence University President Mark Burstein was back on campus Monday for the unveiling of his presidential portrait and the dedication of a campus walkway that honors his legacy, one built on student access and success.

Burstein, the 16th president in Lawrence’s 177-year history—his eight-year tenure closed in 2021—was honored along with his husband, David Calle, in a pair of afternoon ceremonies attended by trustees, faculty, alumni, and staff.

“I am so moved by it being in this space,” Burstein said at the unveiling of his presidential portrait, displayed in the Center for Academic Success on the second floor of Mudd Library. “This idea of student success is a critical value here at Lawrence and it has been a critical value for me.”

A dedication also was held at the west end of the walking bridge that spans Drew Street. The walkway was rebuilt with funds contributed by more than 30 donors at the close of Burstein’s presidency. It is now dedicated as the Calle Burstein Crossing.

President Laurie A. Carter called the walkway a fitting tribute to Burstein and Calle, “a visible reminder of their many contributions to Lawrence” and their ongoing friendship with and support of the university.

“As presidents, we are stewards of this university’s legacy, and we carry a responsibility to always move Lawrence forward, to prepare it to serve the needs of today’s students and those yet to come,” Carter said. “In many ways, one presidency is a bridge to the next, making this dedication all the more fitting.”

Carter, along with Board of Trustees Chair Cory Nettles ’92 and a former chair, David Blowers ’82, praised Burstein for leading the Be the Light! campaign that raised $232.6 million and solidified the endowment in ways that allow Lawrence to build on important strategic initiatives and support student success.

“He had a very clear sense of where Lawrence was and where he wanted to take it,” Nettles said of Burstein.

Blowers, who joined fellow trustees Nettles and Charlot Nelson Singleton ’67 as tri-chairs of the seven-year Be the Light! campaign that closed in early 2021, called Burstein’s work ethic “epic” and said the placement of the portrait in the Center for Academic Success is appropriate.

“Mark spent so much time getting us all to be thinking about student outcomes,” Blowers said. “Mark, you got us focused on the right things and positioned us to grow for the future.”

The presidential portrait is a long-standing tradition at Lawrence, with a portrait commissioned following the close of a president’s tenure. Burstein's portrait, funded by a generous donor, is a work of art, a painting from Patrick Earl Hammie, a Champaign, Illinois-based artist who is an associate professor and chair of studio arts in the School of Art & Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Burstein, always reluctant to have his photo taken, said two things were paramount for him—the portrait needed to be a work of art rather than a representative portrait and it needed to be the work of an artist of color. Hammie’s painting, Burstein said, provides a teachable opportunity for art students while also increasing the representation of Black artists on campus.

“He exceeded the expectations on teachable,” Burstein said of Hammie, who was in attendance. “He did a beautiful job, an interesting, thoughtful job.”

Carter thanked Burstein for his leadership as president, noting that through his efforts the endowment was strengthened in a way that has allowed Lawrence to pursue strategic initiatives that are key to the university thriving in a rapidly changing higher education environment—all efforts focused on bolstering academic offerings, building on the student experience, and widening paths to career discernment for students.

“Mark, thank you for building those bridges,” she said. “And, David, thank you for your partnership with Mark and your unyielding support for Lawrence. The Calle Burstein Crossing represents forward movement. And that is a wonderful legacy, indeed.”