In Memoriam

In Memoriam: Jean Fairfax, 1920-2019

Jean Fairfax, former dean of women at two universities in the South, passed away on February 12, 2019. She was 98 years old.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Fairfax served as dean of women at Kentucky State College (now University) in Frankfort and at the Tuskegee Institute (now University) in Alabama. After World War II, she went to Austria to serve as a postwar relief worker with the American Friends Service Committee, and served as the organization’s director of college programs in New England and director of Southern Civil Rights.

Throughout her career, Fairfax was involved with multiple professional and community organizations including the World Council of Churches. She was a founder of the Black Women’s Community Development Foundation, a precursor to the National Black Child Development Institute. Additionally, she helped formed endowments worth more than $1 million and channeled money into social justice programs and scholarships for poor students.

Fairfax was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Michigan. She held a master’s degree in comparative religions from a joint degree program at Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

Latest News

Vanya Quiñones Appointed President of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

0
Dr. Quiñones, who has been serving as president of California State University, Monterey Bay, is slated to become the first Latina president of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona on July 1.

Shawna Cooper Whitehead Named the First Woman President of Regis University in Colorado

0
Dr. Cooper Whitehead brings extensive experience in student affairs and academic leadership to her new role. She comes to Regis university from Boston College, where she has served as vice president of student affairs since 2021.

New Provost Appointments for Three Women in Higher Education

0
The new provosts are Alicia Alvero at the City University of New York, Gwen Cash-James at North Idaho College, and Julie Gorlewski at the State University of New York Fredonia.

Sally Coleman Selden Appointed President of the University of Lynchburg

0
Currently provost at The Citadel in South Carolina, Dr. Selden previously worked for the University of Lynchburg for 18 years, ultimately serving as provost. She is slated to return to the university as president on July 1.

Sarah Wisdom Named President of William Woods University

0
Dr. Wisdom, superintendent of New Bloomfield R-III Schools in Missouri, is a four-time graduate of William Woods University. She is slated to assume the presidency of alma mater on July 1.

Latest Job Listings

Assistant Professor, Clinician Educator track, in the Division of Genomic Diagnostics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

0
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania seek candidates for an Assistant Professor position in the non-tenure clinician educator track.

Communications Publications Editorial Manager (Website Content Manager)

0
The Website Content Manager serves as the primary website lead for the College, collaborating with team members across design, marketing, multimedia, public relations, and government affairs.

Assistant Senior Instructional Professor in the Social Sciences Core (Social Science Inquiry)

0
The Social Sciences Collegiate Division at the University of Chicago is now accepting applications for a full-time Assistant Senior Instructional Professor who will teach in and contribute to the management and administration of the Social Science Inquiry sequence in the Social Sciences Core.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Media Studies

0
The Department of Cinema & Media Studies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia invites applications for a one-year Visiting Assistant Professor position in the field of media studies.

Instructional Professor in Law, Letters, and Society (Open Rank)

0
The Social Sciences Collegiate Division at the University of Chicago is now accepting applications for a full-time Instructional Professor who will teach in the program in Law, Letters, and Society.