"On the Waterfront": Evolution of an Essay Series
Where were you when Kennedy was assassinated, or the first man walked on the moon, or the 9-11 tragedy occurred? How did those events make you feel? How did you respond? These were the essential questions that haunted David Frew's generation until a few years ago. But now a there is a fourth: COVID. To counter the impact of Covid, Jefferson Scholar-in-Residence David Frew turned toward writing. He created the popular weekly series, "On the Waterfront" about life on the Bayfront in the 1950s. Join the author to learn about the research on storytelling, readers' responses, idea generating, and gain insight into essay writing process.
Covid-19 policies will be in effect throughout programming, please review the JES Covid-19 policy here. Patrons will need to show their vaccination cards or proof of a negative test. Face masks will no longer be required for patrons, but are encouraged.
All JES programming is free to all Erie County students with advanced registration and proof of enrollment at event check-in. To register with the student discount, use the coupon code "eriecountystudent" and make sure to bring proof of enrollment to the programs you register for.
Historian and author David Frew, Ph.D., is a JES Scholar-in-Residence. An emeritus professor at Gannon University, he held a variety of administrative positions during a 33-year career. He is also emeritus director of the Erie County Historical Society/Hagen History Center, where he had previously served as Executive Director for five years, and is president of his own management consulting business.
After beginning with a five-year career in engineering, Frew took a teaching fellowship at Kent State University, where he earned a doctorate in Organizational Behavior in 1970. His love of Lake Erie brought him back to Erie where he became a faculty member and the founding director of Gannon's MBA Program. His career at Gannon included administrative posts as Director of the Health Services Administration and Public Administration Programs, as well as Dean of the Graduate School. In 1982 and 1983, he took a leave from Gannon to complete a post-doctorate at Kent State University where he completed advanced coursework in psychology and research design. He was also a visiting professor at Mercyhurst University for four years.
Dr. Frew has authored or co-authored 40 books, most recently “Accidental Parade: A 13,000-Year History of Presque Isle,” and more than 100 articles, cases, and papers. His work has appeared in publications ranging from refereed journals such as The Journal of Applied Psychology to popular magazines such as Sail Magazine and Cruising World.
Growing up on Erie's lower west side as a proud "Bay Rat," Frew was known to join neighborhood kids playing and marauding along the west bayfront. He has written for years about his beloved Presque Isle and his adventures on the Great Lakes. In the “On the Waterfront Series” for the JES, the Scholar-in-Residence takes note of life in and around the water.
