Renovations to the iconic Clayton University Center (UC) at Packer Hall will create a dynamic environment for student life while preserving the building’s historic grandeur. Thank you to all the generous donors who are helping to make the Clayton UC a vibrant space for everyone in the Lehigh community.
Thom ’75 and Valerie Smith Hirsch ’83 may not have met as students at Lehigh, but their time in the UC was important enough to both of them that they had their wedding reception there — and made a generous gift for renovations to the iconic building. In recognition of their donation, a plaque will be placed outside the office of the assistant vice president for community and regional affairs in the Clayton UC.
The Path to Lehigh
Valerie made her way to Lehigh from central Pennsylvania. Although she “had the Washington, D.C., bug,” she followed her parents’ advice and an uncle’s path to Lehigh to study government. “It helped that Lehigh had a Washington semester program — I got to spend a semester there at American University, made some contacts, and got a job with a political consulting group through an internship I did in D.C.,” she says. Roles working for a congressman and then for the Commission of the Bicentennial of the Constitution under President Ronald Reagan followed.
Thom, a Maryland native, wanted to attend the U.S. Naval Academy but didn’t pass the physical because of poor eyesight. A family friend who was a guidance counselor told him to consider Lehigh, where he’d attended a wrestling clinic. Still, when his parents dropped him off for his freshman year, he recalls thinking, “‘I’m not going to like this place,’ but everything turned around completely.”
A mathematics and American studies double major, Thom wrestled for Lehigh for three years until he became president of his class senior year. After graduation, he headed to law school at George Washington University (GW), getting his first job with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C.
An Alumni Connection
Thom was a young alumnus trustee and president of the D.C. chapter of the Lehigh Alumni Association when he met a newly graduated Valerie at a young alumni event in D.C. “I thought maybe she’d like to volunteer for some of the activities our alumni club was planning,” Thom explains. “We ended up getting to know each other just talking on the phone.”
Just as their romance was beginning, Thom took a job with a law firm in New York City. They were able to continue their relationship and they got engaged. Thom transferred to his firm’s D.C. office, and shortly after that, the couple married in Packer Chapel, followed by a reception in the UC. “That’s just one of the reasons it’s so special to us,” Thom says.
Valerie attended law school at GW after their wedding, balancing her studies with motherhood. The Hirsches have two sons, Edward ’10 and William. Valerie spent her legal career as a civilian attorney with the Army and Navy and now works as a provider of free mediation services, helping to solve family and community disputes. “It’s become my passion,” she says. Thom is with Norton Rose Fulbright, an international law firm, specializing in energy regulation and transactions.
Fond Lehigh Memories
“It’s especially meaningful for us to donate to the community outreach office in the Clayton UC,” Valerie says. “I was involved in community outreach when I was at Lehigh and spent a lot of time in the UC. I was president of the Residence Halls Council, and we used to have our dinners and meetings there. It was always just a magical building.”
The Hirsches feel very fondly about Lehigh, having both had great experiences as students. Thom’s favorite Lehigh memories (“besides getting married in Packer Chapel, of course!”) are wrestling in a packed Grace Hall and taking a graduate-level class in historiography – the writing of history – with Professor Joe Dowling. “He had a tremendous influence on me and became a lifelong friend, and Valerie and I helped fund an award for excellence in teaching named for him,” Thom says.
Valerie recalls a trip she took with a group led by her favorite professor, Don Barry. “I minored in Russian studies, and we went to the Soviet Union to study the legal system there. It was a magical trip and expanded my horizons so much,” she says.
Both Thom and Valerie took away valuable life skills from their time at Lehigh. “It taught me discipline, both in wrestling and academics,” Thom says. “I was a Gryphon, and juggling all my activities, trying to do them well, and having to be organized really stayed with me. My love of history came from my time at Lehigh as well.”
“Lehigh really helped build my confidence, especially as a student,” Valerie says. “It made me want to learn more. I had wonderful friends and a lot of fun — it was a great four years for me.”
Giving Back
The Hirsches have a strong commitment to giving back to their alma mater, whether financially or through volunteering. They have hosted freshman send-offs in the Washington, D.C., area, and Thom was class president for almost 35 years before stepping down. He now keeps up with his classmates by writing the Class Column for the Alumni Bulletin.
“We feel an obligation to give back so that others can have the same opportunities that we have had,” Thom says. “We love so many people who are involved in Lehigh, from professors and administrators to coaches, teammates, and classmates. And if it weren’t for Lehigh, we never would have met!”
