Emerson "Doc" Arends Award - Directing for Scene and Stage

At San José State from 1945-48, Doc Arends was a speech and drama major and member of the Spartan Knights and the San José Players. In 1948 he became the President of Associated Students, the student governing body.

In the summer of that same year, he marrried his college sweetheart, Betty Jeanne Patnoe who was editor of the "La Torre," the SJSU college yearbook. Together, Doc and Betty were one of the most popular couples on campus. After graduation, he maintained close ties with the University, becoming President of the Spartan Foundation, President of the Alumni Association, and a member of the University’s advisory board. In 1976, Doc Arends earned SJSU’s highest honor, the Tower Award.

“To me there’s a difference between being a graduate and an alumnus. A graduate is a person who went to a school, got his diploma, cut his ties and left. An alumnus is one who becomes caught up emotionally in his institution and stays that way.” ~Emerson Arends