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Roderick S. French papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS2296-UA

Scope and Contents

This collection contains notes, press releases, speeches, brochures, correspondence, clippings, reports, and publications pertaining to Dr. Roderick S. French's work for The George Washington University, and his involvement in the D.C. Council of Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American University of Sharjah, and other organizations. Materials in this collection date from 1969 to 2013, with the bulk of the material dating between 1969 and 1998.

Dates

  • 1969-2013
  • Majority of material found within 1969 - 1998

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

Biographical / Historical

Dr. Roderick S. French served The George Washington University for twenty-eight years as a faculty member and administrator.

Dr. French earned an A.B. in philosophy from Kenyon College, an M.Div. in church history, theology and biblical studies from the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, an S.T.M. in Modern church history from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and a Ph.D. in American Civilization from The George Washington University. French began his career as the Executive Director of the Youth Department of the World Council of Churches in Geneva (1959-64). He later served as Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of Public Affairs of the Peace Corps from 1967 to 1968.

Dr. French joined The George Washington University as a Ph.D. student in 1968 and was appointed as the Associate Director of the University's Division of Experimental Programs in 1969. He was made director of the Division in 1979, and was responsible for university-wide curricular innovation and academic program development. In 1984 he was made Vice President for Academic Affairs, a position he held until 1995 when he stepped down to work with the University Honors Program. Dr. French left GW in 1997 to become the First Chancellor of the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. He served as Chancellor Emeritus of the American University of Sharjah, a member of its Board of Trustees, and secretary of the Board of Directors of the AUS-USA Foundation. He retired as Chancellor in the summer of 2002.

Extent

2 Linear Feet (4 document boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection contains the personal papers of Dr. Roderick S. French, former faculty member and admnistrator at The George Washington University. Dr. French served as Associate Director and Director of the University's Division of Experimental Programs for fifteen years, and as Vice President for Academic Affairs for eleven years. The collection includes notes, press releases, speeches, brochures, correspondence, clippings, reports, and publications pertaining to Dr. Roderick S. French's work for The George Washington University, and his involvement in the D.C. Council of Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American University of Sharjah, and other organizations. Materials in this collection date from 1969 to 2013, with the bulk of the material dating between 1969 and 1998.

Arrangement

Organized into 6 series: Biographical Information; Division of Experimental Programs; Humanities Work, National Activities, and Publications; Vice President for Academic Affairs; University Honors Program; American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Physical Location

Materials are stored off-site, and will require additional retrieval time. Please contact the Special Collections Research Center for more information.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Roderick S. French, 2011 (2011.045). Additional gift, 2014 (2014.040)

Related Materials

An oral history interview with Dr. French, conducted in 2011 by Assistant University Archivist Ashley Locke, is available in the University Archives Oral History collection, MS0371.

Records for the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs are located in RG0004.

Title
Guide to the Roderick S. French papers, 1969-2013
Status
Completed
Author
Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University
Date
2011
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University Repository

Contact:
2130 H Street NW
Washington 20052 United States of America