Francis M. "Frank" Lazarus, Ph.D. is a retired educator and higher education administrator. He served as the president of the
University of Dallas
The University of Dallas is a Private university, private Catholic church, Catholic university in Irving, Texas. Established in 1956, it is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
The university comprises four academi ...
in
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. Located in Dallas County, it is also an inner ring suburb of Dallas. The city of Irving is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. According to a 2019 estimate from the United States Census Bureau, ...
, from 2004 until 2009, when he was honored by the board of trustees with the title president emeritus.
Biography
Lazarus was born in Elma, New York, in 1944 and is married to the former Carol Scheminger, whom he met in third grade. They have three children and nine grandchildren.
Education and degrees
Lazarus earned the Bachelor of Arts (A.B., 1966) degree from
Canisius College
Canisius College is a private Jesuit college in Buffalo, New York. It was founded in 1870 by Jesuits from Germany and is named after St. Peter Canisius. Canisius offers more than 100 undergraduate majors and minors, and around 34 master's ...
in
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...
, where he graduated summa cum laude with concentrations in classical languages and philosophy. He was awarded the college's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005.
He also holds the Master of Arts (M.A., 1968) degree and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D., 1972) degree in classical languages from
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...
. His areas of specialty are Latin and Greek literature of the Classical period and Greek archaeology.
He is a member of
Phi Beta Kappa
The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal a ...
and
Alpha Sigma Nu
Alpha Sigma Nu () is the honor society of Jesuit colleges and universities. ΑΣΝ is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies. Founded in 1915 at Marquette University as Alpha Sigma Tau, it adopted the current name in 1930. The ...
, the national Jesuit honor society.
Career
From 1970 to 1973, Lazarus was an assistant professor at the
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
at West Point. During this time, he participated as a professional archaeologist in excavations in
Tel Beer Sheba,
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, as part of a 1972
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...
/University of North Carolina joint expedition.
From 1973 to 1980, Lazarus was a member of the faculty of Classics at
Salem College
Salem College is a private women's liberal arts college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded in 1772 as a primary school, it later became an academy (high school) and ultimately added the college. It is the oldest female educational establ ...
in
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in N ...
. During his seven years at Salem College, he was chairman of Classics and director of the Honors Program. He again participated as a professional archaeologist in excavations in
Nemea
Nemea (; grc, Νεμέα; grc-x-ionic, Νεμέη) is an ancient site in the northeastern part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. Formerly part of the territory of Cleonae in ancient Argolis, it is today situated in the regional unit of Corinthia ...
, Greece, as part of a 1977
University of California
The University of California (UC) is a public land-grant research university system in the U.S. state of California. The system is composed of the campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, ...
expedition.
During this time, Lazarus was named an Administrative Fellow of the
American Council on Education
The American Council on Education (ACE) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) U.S. higher education association established in 1918. ACE's members are the leaders of approximately 1,700 accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities and higher education ...
in 1978, serving for one year as a special assistant to the president of
Memphis State University
}
The University of Memphis (UofM) is a public university, public research university in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1912, the university has an enrollment of more than 22,000 students.
The university maintains the Herff College of Engineering ...
in
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, and during the 1979–1980 academic year, he served as the Associate Academic Dean at
Salem College
Salem College is a private women's liberal arts college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded in 1772 as a primary school, it later became an academy (high school) and ultimately added the college. It is the oldest female educational establ ...
.
From 1980 to 1988, he served as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton (UD) is a private, Catholic research university in Dayton, Ohio. Founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary, it is one of three Marianist universities in the nation and the second-largest private university in Ohio. The univ ...
in
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
.
From 1988 to 1996, he was the vice president for academic affairs at
Marquette University
Marquette University () is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Established by the Society of Jesus as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, it was founded by John Henni, John Martin ...
, in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...
.
From 1996 to 2004, he served as the vice president for academic affairs and provost of the
University of San Diego
The University of San Diego (USD) is a private Roman Catholic research university in San Diego, California. Chartered in July 1949 as the independent San Diego College for Women and San Diego University (comprising the College for Men and Schoo ...
in
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.
In 2004, Lazarus was named the president of the
University of Dallas
The University of Dallas is a Private university, private Catholic church, Catholic university in Irving, Texas. Established in 1956, it is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
The university comprises four academi ...
in
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. Located in Dallas County, it is also an inner ring suburb of Dallas. The city of Irving is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. According to a 2019 estimate from the United States Census Bureau, ...
. He led the university through several major events, including a proposal for the
George W. Bush Presidential Library
The George W. Bush Presidential Center, which opened on April 25, 2013, is a complex that includes former United States President George W. Bush's Presidential library system, presidential library and museum, the George W. Bush Policy Institute, ...
, and the creation of the
UD School of Ministry. During this time, Lazarus served on the executive committee of the Texas Independent Colleges Foundation, was a member of the board of regents of Seton Hall University, and served as a member of the board of directors of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas.
He served as president and professor of classics until 2009, when he retired from the University of Dallas and was honored by the board of trustees with the title president emeritus.
In 2010, Lazarus accepted the position of provost and vice president for academic affairs at
Assumption College in
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...
. He began this position in June 2010, and served until he retired from academia in July 2014.
His publications include an edited book on the character of Jesuit education, "Discovery, Faith, Service: Perspectives on Jesuit Education" (Marquette University Press, 1992),
a book chapter on community service learning, and articles on the nature of Fortuna, the goddess of chance, in Latin Literature.
Further reading
* Sweet, David, ed. ''University of Dallas: 50 Years of Vision & Courage, 1956–2006.'' (2006). 165 pp.
References
External links
University of DallasDallas Medieval Texts and Translations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lazarus, Frank
Heads of universities and colleges in the United States
People from Elma, New York
Cornell University alumni
Living people
Canisius College alumni
Year of birth missing (living people)
University of Dallas faculty
University of San Diego faculty
Marquette University faculty
University of Dayton faculty
Salem College faculty
University of Memphis
United States Military Academy faculty
Assumption College faculty