Raymond F. von Dran was a long-time academic entrepreneur who started many innovative programs in higher education and supported student innovation and entrepreneurship. As a recognized leader in information and innovation, endowing the Raymond von Dran IDEA in Ray's honor cements his dream for the school to be recognized as first in the world for innovation in information and entrepreneurship.
More than a decade ago, Dean Raymond F. von Dran spearheaded the iSchool movement with leaders from four other information schools. This expanding group, now called the iCaucus, adopted Ray's vision of focusing on the relationship between information, technology, and people. Ray saw iSchools on equal intellectual ground with such recognized professional schools as business, engineering, medicine, and law.
Ray created distance education programs in the Library and Information Science field at three universities starting in the late 1970s, long before the Internet provided a vehicle to bring educational opportunities to individuals.
In the 1980s, Ray created interdisciplinary research centers and Ph.D. programs in Library and Information Science, understanding the need for and trend toward solving complex problems in science, education, and society through the cooperation of experts from different disciplines.
Ray's energy, innovation, and vision are legendary in the information field. Ray had planned to devote the next chapter of his impressive career to helping the school create commercial and social enterprises from its research and development work. He believed that, through innovation, we can transform the individual, organizations and society.
Endowing the Raymond von Dran IDEA in Ray's honor will capitalize on the good will of Ray's lifetime of achievement and success and dedication to innovation.
Donations may be directed to:
A web site — ischool.syr.edu/ray — has been created to pay tribute to Raymond F. von Dran. All are invited to share their memories of Ray, post photos, or pass along condolences, which will be collected and presented to the von Dran family at a later date.
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