Southeastern Community College Alumni Association | Distinguished Alumnus Award 2006
Dr. Eugene (Gene) Douglas Shaw attended Burlington Junior College in 1943- 1944 and again in 1946 – 1947, graduating in 1947. Gene’s formal schooling began at Concordia School in 1930. He is the only student who attended that old stone school house south of Burlington on Summer Street Road, who has received a doctorate degree.
Completion of studies at Horace Mann Junior High School, Burlington High School and Burlington Junior College gave him the foundation for many of his adult career choices. His U.S. Army career began as a Private during World War II, serving in Europe and later in the Korean War, ending as a retired Lt. Colonial in 1970 at age forty-five.
University studies included Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and the University of Iowa at Iowa City, Iowa.
Gene’s post military career was followed by continuing his research, resulting in many breakthroughs in his chosen field of Virology, consequently taking him to many foreign countries, such as USSR, South Africa, Finland, Czechoslovakia, and others
Beginning piano lessons at age six enabled him to gain the skills to accompany local and school groups, serve as organist at Burlington’s Grace Methodist Church, and currently to serve as Crilloneur/Master Chimer of the Hingham, Massachusetts Bell Tower.
His wife, Elizabeth, and their four sons, Douglas, Gregory, Kevin and Daniel give him the encouragement to continue his love of genealogy studies, patriotic organizational pursuits, and reading.
