Dr. Kenneth Adatto matriculated at the University of Virginia for only three years. Accepted to the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans in 1965, Adatto left U.Va. after his third year to pursue his medical degree. He currently resides in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he serves as an orthopedic surgeon in a number of organizations. He looks back fondly on his time at the University, especially his involvement with The Cavalier Daily.
In his time with the paper, Adatto served as writer in the sports section. “It was a natural thing to get involved with,” Adatto said. “I enjoyed sports and I enjoyed writing. It let me get to know another group of people to be friends with.” Adatto was an active member of his fraternity, and working for the paper allowed him to meet even more individuals with similar interests.
Adatto clearly remembers a standout story from his time with The Cavalier Daily. In 1961, U.Va. football beat William & Mary; if they had lost, Addato explains, it would have set the longest losing streak in college football history. He recalls how sports were less central to University life during his time on campus, stating that they were “pretty easy to cover.”
After serving as an editor for his high school paper and a fundraiser for his high school yearbook, The Cavalier Daily was a logical next step for Adatto in college. Adatto credits working for the paper as an encouragement for him to take more English courses. “It pushed me forward in the right way,” he said.
Today, he impresses on potential medical students the utmost importance of liberal arts education, especially reading and writing. “It doesn’t matter if you are doing law, or medicine, or whatever,” Adatto said. “If you are better at English, at reading and writing, you will do so much better in the long run.” Adatto also instills in his children, two of whom are U.Va. graduates, the importance of the humanities, stating that his children are great writers.
Adatto remains an active member of the University community today. In addition to supporting The Cavalier Daily, he serves as President of the Thomas Jefferson Society of Alumni and has been on local and national committees for Jefferson Scholars since the program began. As well, he has held positions in the Alumni Association Board of Managers, the College Foundation, and served as both Chair and Co-Chair for three Capital Campaigns. Adatto and his wife, Barbara, fund the Kenneth N. and Barbara B. Adatto Scholarship through the Echols Scholar program; their scholarship is eligible for students from Louisiana, is based on merit, and awards average out to $6,000 per year.
“I had an unbelievable experience at Virginia,” Adatto said. “It was a great place, and The Cav Daily is one of the many things that made my time there so active. It did a lot for me, and I’m very fortunate.”