Bruce Edward Babbitt (born 1938) was governor of Arizona (1978-1987), a presidential candidate (1988), and appointed secretary of the interior (1993) in the cabinet of President Bill Clinton.

Born on June 27, 1938, Bruce Babbitt was the second of six children born to Paul J. and Frances Babbitt, and grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona. His family had pioneered ranching and operated Indian trading posts in the 1880s, and they had become prosperous over time. From early childhood Babbitt enjoyed outdoor activities, including hiking and horseback riding.

A Roman Catholic, Babbitt chose to attend the University of Notre Dame, in Indiana, where he majored in geology, expecting to build a career around Arizona's array of mineral wealth. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1960, graduating with honors. Two years later he completed his Master of Science degree in geophysics from the University of Newcastle in England, which he attended on a scholarship.

However...