Director of Media Relations
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AMHERST, Mass.—Stephen R. Pflaum '62 of Minneapolis received Amherst College's Medal for Eminent Service at the college's commencement exercises on Sunday, May 22. The Medal for Eminent Service is presented to an Amherst alumnus who has demonstrated extraordinary devotion to his alma mater. Pflaum also has served on the boards of a number of important organizations in Minneapolis, including the Guthrie Theatre Foundation, the Minnesota Orchestral Association and the University of Minnesota Foundation.
As a volunteer, Pflaum also works with students, parents, teachers and guidance counselors to ensure that students have the academic and personal resources necessary for education beyond high school. He helps students identify colleges that meet their needs, and stays in touch with these students throughout their college careers to ensure their success. Pflaum's efforts have benefited Amherst and The Blake School in Minnesota, from which he graduated in 1958. Some members of this Amherst graduating class first "met" the college through Pflaum.
After graduating from Amherst, Pflaum earned an LLB. Degree from Yale and studied at the London School of Economics. A partner at Leonard, Street and Deinard in Minneapolis, Pflaum has been married for 39 years to Ann Shevlin Mitchell, a Smith College graduate. They have two children, Bruce Shevlin Pflaum '93 and Andrew Mitchell Pflaum.
Founded in 1821 for "the education of indigent young men of piety and talents," Amherst College is now widely regarded as the premier liberal arts college in the nation, enrolling a diverse group of approximately 1,600 young men and women. Well known for its academic excellence, Amherst is also consistently ranked among the very best schools in the country in terms of accessibility: The college's financial aid packages are consistently the most generous in the U.S., and among its peer universities and colleges Amherst has the greatest economic diversity. Diversity, in its broadest sense, is fundamental to Amherst's mission. The college enrolls students from every state and more than 40 countries, and for the past several years more than 35 percent of Amherst's students have been students of color. Amherst offers the B.A. degree in 33 fields of study.
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