Alvin C. Eurich

Alvin Christian Eurich (June 14, 1902 – May 27, 1987) was a 20th-century American educator who is most notable for having served as the first president of the State University of New York from 1949–1951.[1][2]

Alvin Christian Eurich
Acting President of Stanford University
In office 1948–1948
Preceded by	Donald Tresidder
Succeeded by	Wallace Sterling
First President of the State University of New York
In office January 1, 1949 – August 31, 1951
Succeeded by	Charles Garside (Acting)
Personal details
Born	June 14, 1902 Bay City, Michigan, U.S.
Died	May 27, 1987 (aged 84) New York, New York, U.S.

Early life and education

Eurich was born in Bay City, Michigan and pursued degrees in Psychology at North Central College and the University of Maine. He supported himself by working as a speech instructor while in Maine.[3] He earned a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota in 1929, where he worked as a professor and assistant dean of the College of Education from 1927 to 1936.

Career

In 1937 he left for Northwestern University and a year after that, he left for Stanford University. During World War II, he served in the Navy, returning to take a Vice Presidency at Stanford University. He helped organize the Stanford Research Institute and served as its chairman.[4] He was named acting President of Stanford in 1948 after his predecessor's sudden death, shortly before assuming the Presidency of SUNY.[5]

From 1958 to 1964, Eurich served as Executive Director of the Ford Foundation's Educational Division and in 1961 he co-founded the Academy for Educational Development and served as its chairman for many years. He also served as President of the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies from 1963 to 1972.

Personal life

He was married to Nell Eurich; they had two children: Juliet Eurich McDonough and Donald Eurich.[1] After his death, his wife married Maurice Lazarus.[6]

References

1. "Alvin C. Eurich Dead; Former State U. Chief", The New York Times, May 29, 1987, retrieved 2008-04-03
2. The State University of New York (1985), Sixty-four campuses: the State University of New York to 1985 (1 ed.), Albany, New York: Office of University Affairs and Development, OCLC 12556911
3. Ohles, Frederik; Ohles, Shirley (1978), Biographical dictionary of modern American educators (1 ed.), Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, p. 440, ISBN 978-0-8371-9893-4, OCLC 3447005
4. "Corporate History". SRI International. Retrieved 2013-07-01.
5. "Stanford Acting President Will Be Executive of Trustees Directing Institutions—Sterling Will Succeed Dr. Tresidder at Palo Alto", The New York Times, p. 15, November 20, 1948
6. "Nell Eurich". National Women's Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 2, 2018.