Who Was Effie Lu Fairchild?

“She made me feel like I was the only person in the room and that I had her complete attention when we were talking,” said Doug New, BA ’78, founder of the New Group. Learn more

Long before joining the UO, Effie Lu made a name for herself. She established the first service club for the US Army in Vietnam and went on to direct service clubs in Vietnam and Germany. In 1968, she was honored with the Medal for Civil Service.

She received the university’s Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1976, followed by the C. S. Mott Distinguished Service Award in 1984, the year she also was named National Community Educator of the Year.

Prior to her death in 1989, Effie Lu set up an account with the UO Foundation that first supported a statewide leadership development workshop, and later provided modest grants for students who planned to work with youth.

Watch a video about how alumni say Effie Lu Fairchild changed their lives.