Frederick Lawson Hovde (7 February 1908 – 1 March 1983) was an

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chemical engineer, researcher, educator and president of

Purdue University Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...

. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, Hovde received his Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

, where he played on the

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. Elected to a Rhodes Scholarship, he spent three years at

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where he received two degrees in chemistry. While at Oxford, he was a member of the varsity rugby football team and in 1931 he became the third American in history to win his

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in the annual Oxford-Cambridge rugby union match.

Professional career

Returning to the United States in 1932, Hovde was appointed Assistant Director of the newly established General College of the University of Minnesota. In 1936, he went to the

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of Roc ...

in New York, serving as Assistant to the President and Lecturer in Chemistry. In 1941, following the outbreak of World War II, Hovde joined the newly established

National Defense Research Committee The National Defense Research Committee (NDRC) was an organization created "to coordinate, supervise, and conduct scientific research on the problems underlying the development, production, and use of mechanisms and devices of warfare" in the Un ...

, which later became a part of the war-time

Office of Scientific Research and Development The Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) was an agency of the United States federal government created to coordinate scientific research for military purposes during World War II. Arrangements were made for its creation during May 1 ...

. His first assignment was as head of the London Mission of the OSRD, an opportunity which he took to obtain a master's degree from Oxford University. In 1942, he returned to the National Defense Research Committee as Executive Assistant to

James Bryant Conant James Bryant Conant (March 26, 1893 – February 11, 1978) was an American chemist, a transformative President of Harvard University, and the first U.S. Ambassador to West Germany. Conant obtained a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Harvard in 1916 ...

, its chairman. In 1943, Hovde was made Chief of Rocket Ordnance Research, of the National Defense Research Committee.

At Purdue University

In January 1946, he began his tenure as President of Purdue University, a position which he held until his retirement in 1971. During the time of Hovde's presidency, over 80,000 men and women graduated from the university. Enrollment at Purdue more than quadrupled from 5,628 to 25,582 students. Its annual budget increased from $12.7 million to $136 million.Past Presidents, on Purdue's web site
/ref> It was also during this time that Purdue established the schools of

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, materials engineering,

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, and

veterinary medicine Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...

. While at Purdue, he served on numerous government boards on scientific research, including military research. He also served as a member of the Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy, Board of Visitors to the Air University, Air Training Command Advisory Board, Board of Consultants to the National War College, and Board of Visitors to the United States Air Force Academy. In 1961, he served as chairman of the President-Elect's Task Force Committee on Education. From 1970 to 1973, he served on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Hovde served as President of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (1953–1954), as vice chairman of the American Council on Education (1955–1956), and a member of the President's Committee on Education Beyond High School (1956–1957).

Honors and awards

In recognition of his war services Hovde received the President's Medal for Merit and was awarded the

King's Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom The King's Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom is a British medal instituted by King George VI on 23 August 1945. It was awarded to civilian foreign nationals, mainly of allied countries, who had given meritorious service to further the int ...

by the British government. Hovde was named a Fellow of the

American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an American international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific respons ...

in 1957. He received the Exceptional Civilian Service Award from the

Department of the Air Force The United States Department of the Air Force (DAF) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Department of the Air Force was formed on September 18, 1947, per the National Sec ...

in 1961, the Distinguished Public Service Award from the

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in 1963, the Distinguished Service Award from the

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in 1963, and the Distinguished Public Service Medal from the

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in 1970. In 1967, Hovde received the

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from the Western Society of Engineers and the Gold Medal Award from the

National Football Foundation The National Football Foundation (NFF) is a non-profit organization to promote and develop amateur American football on all levels throughout the United States and "developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal and the dr ...

and

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. In 1968, he was awarded the National Order of the Southern Cross by the

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ian government and the Academic Award Medal by the government of

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. In 1970, he was selected by the

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to receive its Theodore Roosevelt Award. Upon retirement from the presidency, he was named President Emeritus of Purdue. President

Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

attended Hovde's retirement dinner and presented him with a certificate of recognition. In 1975, Purdue renamed the Executive Building the Frederick L. Hovde Hall of Administration. Hovde received more than 20 honorary doctoral degrees in a variety of disciplines from colleges and university throughout the United States. Purdue annually gives an award in Hovde's honor, the Frederick L. Hovde Award of Excellence. It is given to a member of Purdue University's faculty or staff who has displayed outstanding educational service to rural Indiana.

Family

Hovde married Priscilla Boyd and they had three children, Frederick Boyd (Boyd), Jane and Linda. Frederick Boyd Hovde married Karen Sorenson and they have four children, Frederick Russell (Rick), Debra, Kristine and Sarah. Boyd practices law in Indianapolis with his son, Rick.

References

, width=25% align=center, Preceded by:

Edward C. Elliott Edward Charles Elliott (December 21, 1874 – June 16, 1960) was an American educational researcher and administrator. He was the chancellor of the public university system of Montana from 1916 to 1922 and the president of Purdue University from ...

, width=25% align=center,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

1946–1971 , width=25% align=center, Succeeded by:

Arthur G. Hansen Arthur Gene "Art" Hansen (February 28, 1925 – July 5, 2010) was a philanthropist and former chancellor of several American universities. Education and early career Hansen joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve and was sent to Purdue Univ ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hovde, Frederick L. 1908 births 1983 deaths Presidents of Purdue University University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering alumni Minnesota Golden Gophers football players Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball players American Rhodes Scholars United States Army Science Board people American chemical engineers 20th-century American engineers Recipients of the King's Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom American men's basketball players 20th-century American academics