Rufus Fitzgerald
Encyclopedia
Rufus Henry Fitzgerald was the eleventh Chancellor
(1945-1955) of the University of Pittsburgh
.
He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 1919. He became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity
as an undergraduate.
His administration is best remembered for its smooth ten-year tenure: reinstatement of athletic scholarships at the university, expansion of the student body, especially returning veterans after World War II
, and the worldwide success of Jonas Salk
's polio vaccine developed at Pitt's medical center.
Fitzgerald Field House
, an athletic venue on the Pitt campus which opened during his tenure, is named in his honor.
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
(1945-1955) of the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
.
He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 1919. He became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
as an undergraduate.
His administration is best remembered for its smooth ten-year tenure: reinstatement of athletic scholarships at the university, expansion of the student body, especially returning veterans after 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...
, and the worldwide success of Jonas Salk
Jonas Salk
Jonas Edward Salk was an American medical researcher and virologist, best known for his discovery and development of the first safe and effective polio vaccine. He was born in New York City to parents from Ashkenazi Jewish Russian immigrant families...
's polio vaccine developed at Pitt's medical center.
Fitzgerald Field House
Fitzgerald Field House
Fitzgerald Field House is a 4,122-seat multi-purpose athletic venue on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Fitzgerald Field House is named for Rufus Fitzgerald, a past chancellor of the university....
, an athletic venue on the Pitt campus which opened during his tenure, is named in his honor.