Purdue News

June 1, 2001 Gifts to retiring dean net $132,000 for engineering scholarships WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – More than $132,000 has been donated so far for the new Richard J. Schwartz Engineering Scholarship Fund. The Engineering Alumni Association established the scholarship fund in conjunction with Schwartz's upcoming June 30 retirement as dean of the Schools of Engineering. The association met in March to discuss the dean's departure, agreed to fund a scholarship and then set about secretly soliciting contributions. "The original goal was to endow one scholarship," said Cindy Lawley, assistant director of engineering development and alumni relations. "The response was just amazing. Our new goal now is to endow four full, four-year scholarships." To endow a scholarship requires a minimum of $20,000, which would yield about $1,000 in interest annually. The interest earned is then awarded to the selected recipient. Alumni, colleagues, faculty, former students, industry partners, staff members, assorted family members and friends were onhand to unveil the Schwartz scholarship fund during a "Changing of the Guard" picnic and "roast " for the dean. The next dean of engineering will award the first of the new scholarships in 2002 to students who meet criteria that will be established with Schwartz's input, Lawley said. At 65, Schwartz has reached the mandatory retirement age for senior Purdue administrators. He was named dean in 1995. After his retirement, Schwartz said he intends to return to teaching in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, where he began his teaching career at Purdue 37 years ago. Schwartz joined the Purdue faculty as an associate professor of electrical engineering in 1964 and was promoted to professor in 1971. He was head of the School of Electrical Engineering from 1985 to 1995. He also served as assistant head for instruction in the school from 1972 to 1983. A national search to replace Schwartz yielded 40 applicants. Four finalists were chosen to participate in open forums in May. They are: • W. Kent Fuchs, who is head of the Purdue School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Birck Distinguished Professor. • Linda Katehi, who is associate dean for academic affairs in the University of Michigan's College of Engineering and a professor of electrical engineering and computer science. • Way Kuo, Texas A&M University's Royce E. Wisenbaker Chair Professor of Engineering in Innovation, executive associate dean for the Look College of Engineering and associate vice chancellor of engineering. • Mark Kushner, who is professor and interim head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. With an undergraduate enrollment of nearly 6,000, graduate enrollment of about 1,800 and a faculty of about 270, Purdue's engineering program is one of the largest in the United States. It encompasses 13 schools, departments and divisions. CONTACT: Cindy Lawley, (765) 496-6929; lawley@ecn.purdue.edu. To the Purdue News and Photos Page