Davidson Summer Experience Inspires 36-Year Career

Experiential learning opportunities often lead to “ah-ha” moments for Davidson students. For George Cretekos ’69, that moment came through the college’s Washington Semester Program.

In his junior year, Cretekos, who came to Davidson from Tarpon Springs, Florida, headed to American University, and as part of the program, students were required to volunteer with a federal office or agency.

“I asked if I could work in Congressman Bill Cramer’s office, who was our local congressman at the time,” Cretekos said. “That summer, his office called and asked if I’d like to go to the Republican National Convention in Miami. My main job was driving Mrs. Cramer around to all the convention activities in a fancy car.”

It’s also where Cretekos first met Bill Young, who, a few years later in 1970, ran for Cramer’s U.S. House seat when Cramer decided to run for the U.S. Senate. Without realizing it at the time, that brief meeting led to the real “ah-ha” moment.

“I had just finished my MPA in Pittsburgh, and I got a call from Congressman-elect Young on Christmas Eve, asking if I’d like to come work for him,” Cretekos said. “That set me up for a 36-year career, working in both DC and Florida.”

Since retiring, Cretekos has served as mayor in his home of Clearwater, Fla., completed a mission trip to Indonesia through his church, has become a multi-gallon blood donor, and is a bone marrow courier in support of a registry program launched years ago by Young.

“A family friend, whose daughter was attending Queens in Charlotte, suggested I attend Davidson so our parents could travel together from Florida to visit us,” he said. “Until the day she died, that friend remembered a thank you note I sent her, thanking her for mentioning Davidson to my parents.”

Without Davidson and the Washington Semester Program, Cretekos’ career likely would have taken a very different path. Now, he and his wife, Carolyn, have included the college in their estate plans in order to help future students discover their own paths.

“This is one way to give back to an organization that was really instrumental in getting me started and giving me a background, friends and experiences I don’t think I would have had at a large university,” he said. “I am grateful and blessed.”

Contact Dawn Smith at 704-894-2103 or dasmith@davidson.edu to learn how you can leave a legacy at Davidson College that reflects your passions and values while supporting our students.