Robert McAfee '56 brandishes his community service plaque as his classmates cheer.

Citation delivered by Sally Ehrenfried '89, vice president of the Alumni Association.

Robert E. McAfee entered Bates as a graduate of Deering High School in Portland, Maine. A dean's list student majoring in biology, and an active member of the Bates community, Bob made the decision to become a doctor — a choice that would have a profound effect on the citizens of Maine and the nation.

He once quoted Robert Frost when speaking about his decision to go into medicine: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, / I took the one less traveled by." He said, "Choosing medicine, 'the endless frontier,' is choosing 'the one less traveled.'"

For Bob, that road has been filled with distinguished accomplishments. After graduating in 1960 from Tufts University, the freshly minted M.D. returned to Maine to embark on what has become a distinguished and renowned career as a surgeon, physician and tireless advocate for prevention of family violence, eradication of smoking and substance abuse, and efforts to improve the health of adolescents.

Bob channeled his passion and determination to do whatever he could to resolve these issues into his service as an active member of the American Medical Association. Bob became a nationally known spokesman for these and other important health initiatives on behalf of the AMA. In 1993, he was the first physician from Maine elected as president of this influential organization, and used his position to continue to promote and educate the public about the health issues he was so passionate about. Due in large part to Bob's efforts, the AMA moved away from its position of considering family violence just a social issue to one of declaring it a medical issue. He was instrumental in urging the AMA to mount an educational campaign for families and physicians about family violence, and today, it is not unusual for doctors ask patients if they have experienced family violence in intake interviews.

Bob also served on the oversight council for the National Television Violence Study, comprised of representatives from 17 national organizations that are concerned with the impact of television violence on society. The council oversaw an important national three-year study conducted by four universities and whose recommendations resulted in the FCC rulings regarding the v-chip and a better rating system for children's television.

In addition to his national service, Bob has held many local and state community service posts and has earned many awards, which are all too numerous to list here. But in the midst of all the praise and recognition for the many ways he's served the people of Maine and the nation, Bob's passion for helping others has never diminished, and he's just as involved today in efforts to improve society, if not more so, than he's ever been.

He is the first chair of the relatively new Civilian Oversight Committee of the Portland Police Department, and until recently served on the board of Ingraham, a Portland-based agency that is a community leader in identifying unmet needs, creating programs to meet those needs, and engaging service providers in dialogue and collaboration. He also currently serves as the chair of the board for Maine's Dirigo Health Plan, a member of the Medical Advisory Board for Community Health Services, the American Bar Association's Commission on Domestic Violence, the board of Physicians for a Violence-free Society, Maine Citizens Against Handgun Violence, the board of Sports Done Right program for middle and high school sports in Maine, the board of trustees of the University of New England, and is the co-chair for the AMA Foundation Endowment Campaign, which is raising money to provide medical school scholarships.

Characteristically, Bob has also made the time to serve Bates as well; as class president from 1971 to 1976, as an OCS Career Advisor since 1993, as a member of his 45th Reunion Gift Committee, as a participant in alumni health-care panel events and working with our students, and in his current capacity as a member of the Bates Maine Council.

Bob, from the day you graduated from Bates 50 years ago, you have followed that road less traveled with compassion, energy and a great sense of humor. You are a model to all of us in the way you have adhered to and championed the values of community service and civic responsibility that we all learned at Bates, and we are proud to claim you as one of our own. Your College is pleased to honor your inspired and principled service with the Alumni Association's Community Service Award.