Norwich University

Ray Proietti has led a busy life. Coming to Norwich from Mount Kisco, N.Y., he began life on the hill as an accomplished football player and scholar. At Norwich, he only added to his achievements by graduating with high honors with a degree in History, and was a member of Epsilon Tau Sigma honor society. On the gridiron, Proietti also achieved many accolades, including: the Football Medal for Academic Excellence in 1952, a place on the First Team All-Vermont College Football team, and an Honorable Mention All-New England team nod in 1952. In the Corps of Cadets, Proietti served as a Company and Battalion Commander and Lieutenant Colonel. Crediting Norwich with changing his life, Proietti said, "I was not the same person at graduation that I was as a Rook. Norwich provided the mold to form a new me." 

After graduation, Proietti served in the United States Army achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served one tour in Korea as an Aviation Reconnaissance Platoon Commander, in addition to two tours in Vietnam as an Army Aviation Officer. During those tours, he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit for Meritorious Service in Combat, and five Air Medals. 

Upon retirement from the military, Proietti spent 15 years working in school business administration with three different elementary and secondary schools in New Jersey. In 1991 he retired from his job with the Marlboro, N.J. school system as their School Business Administrator.

Proietti also has a long list of volunteer experience serving as a member of the Samaritan Center Board of Trustees that worked to successfully create an affordable housing development in Central New Jersey for 300 people. He served as the Chairperson of the Manalapan Township Cable TV Advisory Committee, along with his local Kiwanis Club, the Knights of Columbus, Manalapan Township Veterans Committee, Affordable Housing Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee, the local community emergency response team, as well as serving on the Board of Directors of the Columbian Club, and past lector of the St. Thomas More Catholic Church. 

Proietti is grateful to the atmosphere provided on the hill. "The Norwich faculty and staff from President Harmon on down provided a close knit and cohesive bond with students. We were all treated like family and all pulling for each other...I'd do it all again." he said.