March 23, 2026
Dear Campus Community,
Today, we join the scientific community and many around the world in mourning the passing of Dr. J. Michael Bishop ’57, one of Gettysburg College’s most distinguished alumni.
Dr. Bishop lived a life of extraordinary consequence. A chemistry major at Gettysburg, he went on to become one of the world’s leading cancer researchers, sharing the 1989 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for groundbreaking discoveries that transformed our understanding of how cancer begins. He later served with distinction as Chancellor of the University of California, San Francisco—one of our nation’s leading research universities—while continuing a career of scholarship, teaching, and scientific leadership that influenced countless lives.
For all of Dr. Bishop’s remarkable achievements, what is perhaps the most inspiring is the legacy he leaves behind. Dr. Bishop embodies what can be accomplished when intellectual curiosity, determination, and a commitment to the common good converge. In his life and career, we see how a Gettysburg education can not only open new doors, but how it can deepen one’s resolve and prepare us to make a lasting difference in the world.
On behalf of our entire College community, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Dr. Bishop’s family, colleagues, and fellow Gettysburg alumni. We honor his memory with gratitude and admiration, and we remember him as a Gettysburgian whose life reflected the very best of what our academic community stands for.
Sincerely,
Bob Iuliano
President