Richard Harding Davis, who attended Lehigh from 1882 to 1884, was one of the most prominent and influential newsmen, novelists and playwrights of his time. Adventurous, he was a war correspondent during many conflicts, including the Spanish-American War, the Balkan Wars and World War I, during which he witnessed the German Army’s advance into Brussels. His vivid accounts dominated headlines and transported readers to the blood-soaked front lines. He counted Theodore Roosevelt among his friends.

While at Lehigh, Davis published his first book, The Adventures of My Freshman. Many of the short stories in that collection had originally appeared in the student magazine, The Lehigh Burr. His report of a cane rush landed him a literary award of $3, from The New York Evening Post. He also played on Lehigh’s first varsity football team and helped found the Mustard and Cheese drama club.