Richard Garner, PhD, served as the dean of the Adelphi University Honors College and his name has become synonymous with the college. “I think my greatest good fortune in what has surely been my very lucky life was the opportunity to come to Adelphi as the founding dean of the Honors College,” Dr. Garner said. “My work here has been the most rewarding experience in my life.”
His achievements prior to coming to Adelphi, however, were also significant. He graduated from Princeton University summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Slavic Languages and Literatures. He continued his Slavic studies at Harvard University, where he earned a Master of Arts. At the University of Chicago, he studied social thought; classical (Greek and Latin) languages, literatures, philosophy and history; and biblical and medieval Hebrew. He returned to Harvard as a Junior Fellow for three years of research and completion of his doctoral dissertation. He then taught for 10 years at Yale University, where he won all three major teaching awards, including the Phi Beta Kappa William Clyde DeVane Medal for distinguished scholarship and teaching. Dr. Garner has also authored several books and numerous articles.
At Adelphi, Dr. Garner not only dedicated his time, talents and expertise to the University, touching the lives of many students, but he also established seven Honors College scholarship endowments, representing contributions of more than $1 million to the University. He was the first Adelphi employee ever to join the elite giving society, the Million Dollar Roundtable.
Since 1994, as founding dean of the Honors College, I’ve had the privilege of helping Adelphi students. I’m thrilled now to provide resources that will continue to help our students as long as there’s an Adelphi.
A commitment from Richard K. Garner, PhD, dean of Adelphi’s Honors College, will support endowed scholarship funds.