Robert E. Reid
Member-at-Large
Class: 1959
Degree: BA
Major: Philosophy
Term Expires 5/31/10

An active student and dedicated alumnus, Robert Reid ’59 was involved with the Madrigals, Knights, the Cardinal Quartet, and served as Student Body Treasurer during his senior year. He also wrote a weekly column for the Panther newspaper, and was selected for recognition in Who's Who in American
Colleges and Universities. He remembers vividly the on-campus dinner reception held for Eleanor Roosevelt in 1960. He still cherishes his photograph taken with Eleanor, together with Vaughan Kelly ’62 and Jan Moore '59, which hangs prominently on his family-room wall.

Robert became licensed in 1964 as a Marriage, Family, and Child Counselor. He worked on the staff of Whittier First Christian Church as Minister of Counseling for six years before joining the staff of a private psychiatric clinic in Whittier for another six years.  He later opened a private practice in which he remained active until his retirement two years ago.  In the 1990’s he augmented his practice by being appointed as a Los Angeles County Superior Court Mediator. Robert also became involved in a Partial Psychiatric Hospitalization program, in which he engaged in the treatment of psychiatric patients in an out-patient setting.  He currently serves on the per-diem staff of City of Angels, Ingleside Campus, Psychiatric Hospital, where he had been Program Manager and Program Coordinator, in addition to receiving clients occasionally in his home office. Just a few of Robert’s achievements include a Lifetime CA Community College Credential in the fields of Philosophy, Psychology, and Religion, as well as both Master and Doctorate degrees from Claremont School of Theology. He was also ordained in the Disciples of Christ church, to which he remains dedicated. Although Robert enjoys an active professional life, he considers himself to be retired.

Some years ago, Robert also started a small business, working under the name Puzzle Pals, of crafting free-standing wooden puzzles, a labor-intensive process to say the least. Under his direction, the business grew to include 15 employees working in a manufacturing complex, shipping the hand-crafted puzzles nationwide.

Witnessing Chapman’s meteoric growth throughout the years is, according to Robert, his greatest motivation for becoming involved in the dynamic and thriving academic community that is Chapman: “Seeing how the campus has changed; the new buildings and landscaping, the college becoming a university, the quality of enrolling freshmen…I wanted to once again be a part of the Chapman vision and mission.”

Robert married Nancy Breihan ’62 in 1961. Robert and his wife have three children, Bryan, Shannon, Michael, and six grandchildren. Robert's high esteem of the University, at least in part, is evidencerd by the successful enrollment and graduation of two of his children.  In addition, his sister-in-law and daughter-in-law, and now his niece who is a currently a Senior.