College Bound

Some people are fountains.

Some are drains.

Silas Purnell was a fountain of epic proportions, yet the scope of his incredible accomplishments remains unknown to most Americans.

In 1992, while filming a TODAY show story at the University of Iowa, its president, Dr. Hunter Rawlings, cognizant of my Chicago roots, asked if I knew of Silas Purnell.

(Hunter R. Rawlings)

I did not, prompting Dr. Rawlings to say, “Well, you should try to connect with him. Silas has sent us some incredible students.”

Armed with that scant information, I returned to Chicago and located Silas Purnell in the cramped, bottom-floor office of a rundown housing project.

The surroundings gave no indication that I was in the presence of America’s most prolific college placement director.

As one who struggled to find acceptance into college, succeeding only through the intervention of a family acquaintance, I took a personal interest in Mr. Purnell’s quest to give other academically-challenged students a shot at improving their lives through education.

And did he ever.

At the time of his death in 2003, it was estimated that Silas Purnell, a married father of five, helped more than 50,000 aspiring students get into college.

How does one measure that kind of impact?

And how could a fountain of that magnitude go relatively unnoticed?

Silas Purnell.

NBC TODAY April 6, 1995

(Runs 3:33)

For paying subscribers, a parody about returning to school after summer break. For some of us, (me) it was the start of another scholastic nightmare.

“Back to School” preview:

(Runs :29)

Full story below.

“Back To School”

NBC TODAY 8/27/02

(Runs 3:14)