At Fairfield, Kurt Schlichting is known as a mentor, published author, esteemed researcher and family man, and it seems he has recently added television star to his resume.
A sociology professor, Schlichting appears several times in PBS’s documentary film “Grand Central Terminal,” which premiered on Feb. 4.
The film is based on Schlichting’s award-winning book, “Grand Central Terminal: Railroads, Architecture and Engineering in New York.”
Click to read reviews of Schlichting’s book on Amazon .
His book received the 2002 Best Professional/Scholarly Book: Architecture and Urbanism Award from the Association of American Publishers, and, like the film, the book documents the history of New York City, told through the story of Grand Central Station’s construction.
“The city has turned around in a way that’s truly remarkable,” he said. “Grand Central’s rebirth is part of the turnaround.”
The narrative was written by award-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Epstein, under the academic advising of Schlichting. This was Schlichting’s first experience with filmmaking.
Schlichting’s preparation for the film included two days with Epstein and cinematographer Michael Chin in New York City, taking still shots of possible scene locations, a meeting with a public relations assistant of Metro North that was spent exploring areas of Grand Central not open to the general public, and a two-and-a-half-hour interview in the library of The Player’s Lounge.
About eight clips of Schlichting’s interview appear during the hour-long film, as well as his voice-over at various times.
Schlichting’s book draws on the papers of William Wilgus, chief engineer of the Beaux-Arts masterpiece, which Schlichting came across while conducting research for an academic paper he was writing.
“I thought, ‘Gee, this is really interesting stuff,'” he said. “I realized no one had written a more scholarly piece on the project and the impact it had on the city.”
Grand Central was originally built in 1857, but underwent a number of transitions over the years. In 1902, after 15 people were killed during a two-train collision, the terminal was torn down and rebuilt. The new terminal opened Feb. 1, 1913.
The main concourse of Grand Central Terminal has been called the “gateway to the continent,” by Paul Goldberger of The New York Times, for its role in connecting people from all over the nation and opening many possibilities.
“It’s a great building,” said Schlichting. “A complex like no other, especially for its time.”
What attracted Epstein to the “Grand Central” project is how the building has maintained its historical context while so many other buildings become transformed into shopping malls and lose their significance.
“I love the feeling of rushing through the main concourse late for a train, and realizing that this same act has been played out millions of times for close to 100 years,” Epstein said.
“It’s very rare to be able to be that intimate with history. When I was given Kurt Schlichting’s book, and learned what went into the building of Grand Central, I was even more compelled to make a film about it.”
Among many positive reviews, Choice called Schlichting’s book, “The most detailed account yet of one of the most important events in the history of 20th-century architecture, railroad development and city building.”
Schlichting has served as the faculty associate dean, the acting dean of the College of Arts ‘ Sciences, sociology and anthropology department chair and interim chair of the communication department at Fairfield, according to an article in Fairfield Now.
He has also recently become the first recipient of the E. Gerald Corrigan Chair at Fairfield.
“Professor Kurt Schlichting is a scholar among scholars,” said Raymond Poincelot, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Realizing that it is difficult for most people to carve out time in their schedules to do the things they enjoy, Schlichting considers himself lucky to be free to do the research and activities he enjoys in his spare time.
“That’s the beauty of academic life,” he said. “Beyond classes, you get to think about whatever you like to think about.”
Academic Vice President Mary Frances said, “He [Schlichting] is well renowned for doing wonderful research projects that always include students.”
One of those students is Kirsten Finnell ’08, who said she is working with Schlichting on a project about affordable housing in Greenwich, Conn.
“Being able to work under him throughout my years at Fairfield has really been an amazing learning experience,”
she said. “I owe my love of sociology research to Dr. Schlichting.”
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