John W. Oswald
Encyclopedia
John Wieland Oswald was president of the University of Kentucky
, executive vice president of the University of California
, and President of the Pennsylvania State University
.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
in 1917, Oswald did his undergraduate work in botany
at DePauw University
, Greencastle, Indiana
and received his Ph.D.
from the University of California in 1942. During World War II
, Oswald served as a PT boat
captain in the Mediterranean.
In 1946, Oswald taught plant pathology as an assistant professor at the Davis Campus of the University of California. He was chairman plant pathology department at the Berkeley Campus in 1954. In 1962 he became vice president for administration in the statewide system for the University of California.
Oswald was president of the University of Kentucky
from 1963 to 1968. He was executive vice president of the University of California from 1968 to 1970. In 1970, he became president of Pennsylvania State University until he retired in 1983. He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
in 1995.
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
, executive vice president of the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, and President of the Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
in 1917, Oswald did his undergraduate work in botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
at DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
, Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle is a city in Greencastle Township, Putnam County, Indiana, United States, and the county seat of Putnam County. It was founded in 1821 by Scots-Irish American Ephraim Dukes on a land grant. He named the settlement for his hometown of Greencastle, Pennsylvania...
and received his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from the University of California in 1942. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Oswald served as a PT boat
PT boat
PT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
captain in the Mediterranean.
In 1946, Oswald taught plant pathology as an assistant professor at the Davis Campus of the University of California. He was chairman plant pathology department at the Berkeley Campus in 1954. In 1962 he became vice president for administration in the statewide system for the University of California.
Oswald was president of the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
from 1963 to 1968. He was executive vice president of the University of California from 1968 to 1970. In 1970, he became president of Pennsylvania State University until he retired in 1983. He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
in 1995.