Dr. W. F. Marcuson, III, director emeritus of the Geotechnical Laboratory, was recently named as a Chi Epsilon National Honor Member, an elite recognition based on distinguished accomplishments in the field of civil engineering and outstanding contributions to the object and purpose of Chi Epsilon. No more than two members may be elevated to National Honor Member during any biennium, and fewer than 70 leaders have been bestowed with the honor since Chi Epsilon’s inception in 1922.
“Recognition by one’s peers is about as good as it gets,” said Marcuson. “Additionally, when I was looking over the honor member list, I saw that Leif Sverdrup was an honor member. Sverdrup was Gen. McArthur’s chief engineer in the Pacific and the person to whom my dad, who served in World War II, attributed the quote ‘there is great joy in doing what others say can’t be done.’ He was a special person to my father and, as a result, I am honored to be in the same pool as him.”
Chi Epsilon was started by University of Illinois students more than 90 years ago and has since initiated more than 114,000 members. Marcuson became involved while in graduate school at Michigan State and continued to champion the organization, which lists its purpose as “maintaining and promoting the status of civil engineering as an ideal profession,” throughout his career. He retired in 2000 after more than 32 years with the Waterways Experiment Station (WES) and made the decision to continue to serve ERDC in an emeritus position.
“WES, along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was good to me,” said Marcuson. “If it hadn’t been for the support I received, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Now I have the opportunity to give back and my philosophy is ‘if you don’t invest in the future, there will be no future.’ I enjoy working with young people here, because I consider it an investment in the future of ERDC, the Corps and the nation.”
Marcuson was officially inducted in March as part of Chi Epsilon’s Bi-annual Conclave, held this year in Salt Lake City, Utah.