Syracuse University School of Information Studies (iSchool) faculty, staff and friends gathered July 31 at the Dinosaur Bar B Que in downtown Syracuse to celebrate what would have been Ray von Dran’s 63rd birthday and to support the fund that has been established in his name.
About 80 people attended the event, and dozens more who weren’t able to attend donated to the fund. Together, they raised more than $10,000 to support the Raymond F. von Dran Fund, which supports scholarships, research and entrepreneurial and technological initiatives at the iSchool.
Guests at the fund-raiser enjoyed music provided by the School of Information Studies’ very own iBand–made up of Paul Brenner, assistant dean for advancement; David Dischiave, professor and director of the M.S. in Information Management program; Dave Molta, assistant dean for technology and director of the B.S. in Information Management and Technology program; and Jeff Stanton, associate dean for research and doctoral studies.
They also dined on fare from one of von Dran’s favorite local restaurants–Dinosaur Bar B Que. The $100 ticket included ribs, pulled pork, baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread and dessert. A variety of door prizes were given out, and guests were invited to share a toast about Ray.
“We feel incredibly fortunate to have the continuing support of those who knew and loved Ray,” said Ray’s wife, Gisela von Dran, emerita director of the M.S. in Library and Information Science program and organizer of the event. “We think of their support as the gift of Ray that keeps on giving. We are grateful.”
To date, more than $1 million has been raised for the Ray von Dran Fund. To donate to the fund, visit https://secure.syr.edu/giving/ischool_giving.aspx.
About Raymond F. von Dran
Raymond F. von Dran served as dean at the iSchool at Syracuse University, leading it through a 12-year period of unprecedented productivity (1995-2007), during which the number of faculty and students nearly tripled, sponsored research increased five-fold, and four of the school’s programs earned top-four rankings from U.S. News & World Report, including the top-ranked master’s in information systems. Syracuse often served as a model for other iSchools to emulate, and von Dran graciously advised them on how to establish such a collegial and productive workplace.
A founding member of the I-Schools Group (now the iCaucus)–an international consortium of academic institutions focused on the relationship between information and people–von Dran was among a core group of visionaries who helped define the newly emerging academic field of information studies, examining how information, in all its forms, expands human capabilities. Learn more about him at http://ischool.syr.edu/rvd .
