Gerald “Whitey” Weaver ’52 is a The University of Olivet alum on his way to Washington, D.C. this October, where he will be honored for his service in WWII.
Whitey was looking for colleges after serving in WWII as a fighter pilot on a P47 Thunderbolt, and chose The University of Olivet. He felt unprepared for college after the war, but the GI Bill gave him a chance to attend and he chose Olivet because of it’s small size. According to Whitey, the average class size was eight people at the time and he felt a smaller school would help him academically.
“The University of Olivet was a tremendous school for me. I had personal experiences with my professors. They were always available. I even babysat for some!”
Once at The University of Olivet, Whitey played football and baseball, and majored in history with a minor in sociology. After graduation Whitey became a teacher and was in the Coldwater, Michigan school system for 30 years as a teacher, coach and principal.
Whitey also remained in the Air Force reserves, and eventually retired as a Major after 20 years of active and reserve service. In honor of his service in WWII, a non-profit organization called Honor Flight Network, will be flying him and other WWII vets to Washington, D.C. to view the WWII memorial.
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The University of Olivet is committed to helping our U.S. Active Duty and Military Veteran students navigate their educational opportunities. Please reach out with questions or schedule a personalized campus visit at any time. Our email is admissions@uolivet.edu or you can call us at 800.456.7189.