Louis Flego ’55 to Receive the Ruth S. Harley Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award

Louis Flego

Louis Flego ’55 will receive the Ruth S. Harley Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award from Adelphi University during its 119^th Commencement on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. in the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale, NY.

Upon graduating from Adelphi, Louis Flego married Adelphi alumna Susan Crandell ’55 and served as a lieutenant in the United States Marines for two years. After discharge, he went on to teach physical education in the Plainview-Old Bethpage schools for several years. He then joined the central administration team in that district, serving as director of physical education, athletics, health, outdoor education, continuing education, driver education and recreation for 35 years.

Throughout his career, he was also committed to creating programming that supported at-risk youth, including initiating and expanding community narcotic guidance councils and drug education programs in the Plainview and Northport communities. That included an out-of-school drop-in/counseling center in Northport, which has now been in existence for more than 40 years.

Under the auspices of Children’s Colony International Camp and Camp La Mancha, he directed language immersion programs at the University of Grenoble in France and in Madrid, Spain. He established and directed countywide adult cultural arts programs in France and Italy, as well as school ski programs in Italy, Austria and Norway.

For more than half a century, he has taught and called Western square dancing locally and, in children’s summer camp programs, he instructs more than 7,000 students each year. In 2007 he was recognized by CALLERLAB, the International Federation of Square Dance Callers for 50 years of distinguished service, and in 2011, Camp Wah-Nee in Torrington, Connecticut, dedicated its new “Flego Performing Arts Center” in his honor.

Flego, who majored in physical education, attended Adelphi College on a football scholarship. He played varsity football, squash, golf, lacrosse and JV basketball, all in the same academic year. His many career honors include being named Outstanding Senior Athlete and Outstanding College Athlete of the Year as well as winning All-American honors as lacrosse goalie in 1955.

He coached men’s lacrosse at Adelphi from 1960 to 1969 and produced a record of 62-56-2. During his tenure, the Adelphi Panthers won three divisional championships and 10 of his players went on to earn All-American honors. He was selected twice to coach the best players in the country at the national North/South Lacrosse Classic Game.In 1961 he was in the first class of nominees to be inducted into the Adelphi Athletic Hall of Fame, which was founded to honor former Adelphi athletes, coaches and friends who have distinguished themselves during their time at the University or thereafter.

For more information and the full day’s program, please contact Adelphi’s Commencement Office at 516.877.4695 or visit commencement.adelphi.edu.