Background
Grosvenor, Gilbert Melville was born on May 5, 1931 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States. Son of Melville Bell and Helen (Rowland) Grosvenor.
educator journalist publishing executive
Grosvenor, Gilbert Melville was born on May 5, 1931 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States. Son of Melville Bell and Helen (Rowland) Grosvenor.
Bachelor, Yale University, 1954. Doctor in Public Service (honorary), George Washington University, 1983. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), University Colorado, 1983.
Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Curry College, 1984. Doctor of Laws (honorary), College of Wooster, Ohio, 1983. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), College William and Mary, 1987.
Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, 1988. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Syracuse University, 1989. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Rhode Island College, 1991.
Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Old Dominion University, 1993. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Longwood College, Farmville, Virginia, 1997. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Indiana University, 1998.
Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), University South Carolina, 1998. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Pennsylvania State University, 1999. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Southwest Texas State University, 2002.
Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Appalachian State University, 2004. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Gettysburg College, 2007.
In 2011, he retired after 23 years as Chairman of the Society. "As the world grows smaller and more interdependent daily, our country"s future absolutely depends on our ability to see the connections between ourselves and our global neighbors," Grosvenor told an interviewer recently. Born in Washington, District of Columbia, Grosvenor is the son of Melville Bell Grosvenor and the great-grandson of Alexander Graham Bell.
He received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Yale University in 1954.
Between his junior and senior years, he volunteered in the Netherlands in efforts to recover from the North Sea flood of 1953 and co-authored an article that was publishing the National Geographic. "Although I’m not sure I realized it at the time, it changed my life," Grosvenor recently recalled.
"I discovered the power of journalism. And that’s what we are all about—recording those chronicles of planet Earth." He subsequently joined the staff of the magazine as a picture editors
In 1970, Grosvenor assumed the position of editor of National Geographic Magazine.
He served as editor until 1980, when he became president of the National Geographic Society. Since his retirement in 1996, he has served as chairman of the board of trustees of the Society as well as an honorary director of The Explorers Club.
Trustee National Wildflower Research Center, Federal City Council, B.F. Saul Real Estate Trust, Saul Centers, Inc., Wildlife Conservation Society. Past vice chairman President's Commission Americans Outdoors. Chairman emeritus, foundation board Alexander Graham Bell Association for Deaf.
Board directors Conservation Fund, Environmentors Project, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. Board visitors DukeU. Nicholas School Environmental. Former board visitors College William and Mary.
Annual corporation member Children's Hospital. Former member President's Commission Environmental Quality. Member Washington Cathedral Building Committee.
Member Association American Geographers, Explorers Club (citation of merit 1997), Newcomen Society, Alfalfa Club, Alibi Club, Cosmos Club, Chevy Chase Club (Maryland.).
M C.
Married Donna C. Kerkam, June 16, 1961 (divorced). Children: Gilbert Hovey II, Alexandra Rowland. Married Wiley Jarman, June 1, 1979.
1 child Graham Dabney.