HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2010

Dr. Frederick Gillis

2010 Inductee - 1966 Graduate

Dr. Frederick Gillis was part of the most dynamic one-two offensive punch in the history of Fitchburg State College basketball. Teamed with Hall of Famer Bob Johnson, Fred helped guide his team to national acclaim, ranking fourth among the nation’s small colleges in both points (with 29.9 points per game) and rebounds in the 1962-63 season. Gillis established new MASCAC records, setting a mark of 33 rebounds, only to break his own record the following game with 37 boards. Gillis, a dominant player of his era, ranks among Fitchburg State’s top 10 scorers, a feat accomplished in just three years. 

Following graduation, Gillis continued his studies, earning a master’s in education and later a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from UConn in 1975. He served as a partner and practicing psychologist for nearly two decades, specializing in drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation and child and family therapy. 

Upon retirement in 1995, he and his wife Nancy (Goodheart) ’66 opened The Center for Independent Living, aimed at providing housing and support services for at-risk youths. In 2005, following the loss of their daughter Amanda, they established the Amanda Gillis Foundation to provide educational scholarships for homeless youths. For their charitable efforts, Fred and Nancy were recognized as the Las Vegas Citizens of Distinction in 2005 and later the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Citizens of Distinction in 2008.