In November of 2006, Cornell University honored actor and 1974 alum Christopher Reeve (1952-2004) with a plaque in the school’s Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. At the time, Cornell and the 1974 Graduation Class celebrated the honor with a day of events that included the announcement of the Christopher Reeve ’74 Scholarship designated for undergraduates in theater, film, music and English, and screenings of the late actor’s films, Superman, The Bostonians and Remains of the Day.

“Christopher Reeve way a dynamic individual who made remarkable contributions to the arts and to the public appreciation for scientific research,” said Tommy Bruce, Cornell’s vice president for communications and media relations.

On the wall on display to all who visits the beautiful building is a plaque with Reeve’s likeness and the words:

Christopher Reeve ‘74
Actor – Superman – Hero
Remembered by his classmates and friends

Christopher Reeve attended Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York from 1970-1974 (His final year was at Juillard, which counted towards his senior year at Cornell for his theater major- allowing him a Cornell graduation in 1974). He followed in the footsteps of his maternal grandfather Horace R. Lamb, who graduated from the esteemed Ivy League school in 1916.

In 1993, Christopher Reeve returned to his alma mater to deliver the keynote address in Ithaca, New York at the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County luncheon. Afterwards, Reeve visited the Cornell Center for Performing Arts where he met with former teachers and student actors.

Sadly, 18 months after the visit, Reeve was injured during an equestrian event when he was thrown by his horse. As a result, Christopher shattered two vertebrae in his neck and was confined to a wheelchair as a quadriplegic not to mention that he was not able to breathe on his own so Christopher was hooked up to a ventilator as well.

Richard Donor spoke about Christopher Reeve in a Superman Documentary titled “Look Up In The Sky” and stated that “Christopher was put on this earth to be more than an actor.” After his tragic accident Christopher become more than Superman in an effort to educate the public about paralysis.

He founded the Christopher Reeve Foundation and co-founded the Reeve-Irvine Research Center.

In his short lifetime, Reeve won the following awards:

SAG Awards – Best Actor – Rear Window (1999)
Star on the Walk of Fame (1997)
Emmy Award – Outstanding Special – Without Pity: A Film About Abilities (1997)
Young Artist Award “The Jackie Coogan Award” (1996)
Fantafestival – Best Actor – Somewhere in Time (1981)
British Academy Awards – Best Newcomer – Superman (1979)

Reeve was one of those rare individuals who refused to allow a debilitating injury to keep him down. He continued to act, direct and write at a busy pace. He was a tireless speaker in his battle to find a cure for paralysis.

In his book, Still Me, Reeve wrote:

When the first “Superman” movie came out, I gave dozens of interviews to promote it. The most frequently asked question was: What is a hero? I remember how easily I’d talk about, the glib response I repeated so many times. My answer was that a hero is someone who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences. …Now…I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.

Well, Christopher Reeve was an extraordinary man who went from being a hero on the silver screen to one in the real word. It is wonderful to see that there is an honor for such.