Alumni honor dean with scholarship
By Anna Herkamp
Summer
Reporter
For the first time in its history, the Engineering
Alumni Association is naming a scholarship after a retiring dean.
On June 30, Richard Schwartz will retire as dean
of the Schools of Engineering. This past March, the Alumni Association
met to discuss his retirement and decided an excellent way to honor
his retirement would be to endow a scholarship in his name.
Schwartz had no idea that the scholarship was being
established. It wasn't until May 19, when alumni, colleagues, faculty,
former students, industry partners and family members including seven
of Schwartz's eight children came to a "Changing of the Guard" picnic
and roast for the dean, that the scholarship was unveiled. "I was very
honored," Schwartz said. "I had no idea they were going to do this."
Part of the reason the association decided to endow
a scholarship in Schwartz's name is because of his serious dedication
to Purdue's engineering students, said Cindy Lawley, assistant director
of engineering development and alumni relations.
One unusual aspect of the scholarship is that Schwartz
decided to have his wife's name put on the scholarship as well as his
own. . He wanted to give her credit for her dedication as well, Lawley
said. Schwartz said, "My wife has been very active in supporting Purdue.
She has been an excellent partner and very helpful with the Alumni Association."
The Richard and Mary Jo Schwartz scholarship will
be used for freshman coming into engineering. Schwartz said the scholarship
will be merit-based, and the department of freshmen engineering will
decide to whom the scholarships are awarded next fall.
"Throughout his tenure as dean, he always did things
to help students," said Lawley.
Lawley said he was active in helping minorities
in engineering, women in engineering and the freshmen engineering program.
He was also supportive of educational programs for sixth and seventh
graders as well as programs to educate high school students about Purdue's
engineering programs.
When asked why he had such interest in helping
these groups, Schwartz said, "I think its part of the mission of (Purdue)
engineering. Purdue welcomes women and minorities. It's good for them
and very good for us."
The scholarship fund has about $135, 000 in donations
collected so far, which is more than the expected amount for one scholarship.
Because so much has been donated, the association is trying gather enough
money for four scholarships in addition to the original goal of just
one, said Lawley.
The goal is to have enough for one full scholarship
by fall, said Lawley.
The last candidate for the new dean position was
interviewed last week. The decision for the new position will be made
within the next two weeks.
Schwartz joined the Purdue faculty in 1964 as an
associate professor of electrical engineering and was promoted to professor
in 1971. He was head of the School of Electrical Engineering from 1985
to1995. He also served as head for instruction in the school from 1972
to 1983. He was named dean in 1995.
After his retirement, Schwartz said he plans on
returning to Purdue's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
to teach where he began his career 37 years ago.
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