Retired Dinky train conductor named honorary member of the Princeton University Class of 2018
Tom Sparich, the Dinky train conductor who was a friendly and familiar face to the thousands of passengers who rode the shuttle between Princeton Junction and Princeton for many years, was honored for his service to Princeton University students, area residents and visitors this week at the school’s annual Class Day ceremony.
Sparich, who lives in Langhorne, Pa. retired eight months ago after 31 years working for NJ Transit and 17 years as a Dinky conductor. Student cheered as he was named an honorary member of the Princeton University Class of 2018 and was presented with a class jacket.
Other honorary class members included: Barbara Baldwin, who works for the TigerTransit campus shuttle; Class Day speaker U.S. Sen. Cory Booker; Eddie Glaude, the chair of the Princeton University Department of African American Studies; Carol Klein of the student publication Business Today; Mollie Marcoux Samaan, a member of the Class of 1991 and the Princeton University Director of Athletics; and, in memory, Uwe Reinhardt, the former Princeton University James Madison Professor of Political Economy. Reinhardt died in November.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.