For Dr. Jennie Talbot '70, hearing stories about her father, Robert L. Thompson '26, paints a vivid picture of life at the University of Vermont during the 1920s. Robert, known for his athleticism and academic achievements, was a standout student and a proud Vermonter whose stories of college days have become cherished family history.

A True Student-Athlete

Robert Thompson was a natural athlete who excelled in football, basketball, and baseball at UVM, and Jennie remembers his stories about proudly earning multiple varsity letters.

His athletic talents were in such demand that one spring, he was even pulled from the baseball field to compete in the broad jump for the track team, a feat that earned him another letter and added to his legacy as a “four-letter man.” For Jennie, these stories reflect not only her father’s talent but his commitment and pride in representing UVM on multiple fronts.

Jennie also recalls that her Dad took his academics seriously.

A student in the engineering program, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, a point of pride he shared with Jennie when she graduated with honors herself. “He loved to remind me about his Phi Beta Kappa status,” Jennie laughs, “just to keep me on my toes.” Robert balanced his athletic and academic achievements with an admirable sense of humor and humility.

A Touch of Prohibition-Era Rebellion

One of Jennie’s favorite stories of her father’s college years comes from the Prohibition era, when he played semi-professional baseball in Canada. This experience allowed Robert to return to campus with Canadian liquor, which made him a minor celebrity among friends and, as Jennie describes, “a bit of a bootlegger.”

While Robert’s adventurous side might have seemed out of character, Jennie knows he managed to keep his mischief in check, indulging just enough to create stories he’d later tell his children with a laugh.

Robert was also a member of the Delta Psi fraternity, which had a strong presence on campus. Jennie remembers her father’s pride in the fraternity’s historic house, a building he revisited years later, only to be disappointed by its condition at the time.

Today, Jennie finds comfort knowing that UVM has since restored it as part of the Alumni House. “I think he would be so happy to see it now, looking just as it did when he was there,” she says.

A Lasting Family Tradition

Growing up in Proctor, Vermont, Robert attended UVM on a full tuition waiver, a benefit offered to the top students in each high school class. He certainly made the most of the opportunity. Jennie smiles when she thinks of this detail, noting that her father’s tuition-free education began a long family tradition of attending UVM—a tradition that extended to Jennie and, years later, her son in the 1990s.

Robert wasn’t the first in his family to attend UVM. His father, Jennie’s grandfather, graduated from UVM in the 1890s, creating a legacy that has continued through generations. Though Jennie’s family is now spread across the country, the bond with UVM remains a central part of their history, and Jennie proudly embraces this legacy.

Jennie’s connection to UVM goes beyond her father’s legacy.

She attended UVM in the 1960s and graduated in 1970, and though the campus culture had changed, her experience continued the family tradition. Jennie recalls that most of her friends had some Vermont or UVM connection, with many following in the footsteps of parents who had attended the university.

By the time Jennie’s son attended UVM in the 1990s, however, the student body had become more diverse, with many students coming from out of state.

Though Jennie’s family now lives outside Vermont, the bond with UVM remains strong. “My father’s time at UVM started something that continued through our family,” she reflects.

Each time she returns to campus, she feels her father’s spirit and the legacy of Robert L. Thompson, Class of 1926, living on in the stories, traditions, and memories he left behind.