Bowman Foster Ashe
Encyclopedia
Bowman Foster Ashe was a U.S. educator who served as the first president of the University of Miami
.
Ashe attended Mount Union College
and then transferred to the University of Pittsburgh
were he earned a Bachelor of Science degree In 1910. After graduation, he took a job teaching English and history in public school. Ashe also worked as the educational/social director of Langeloth, a model town near Pittsburgh. Ashe’s work eventually led him back to the University of Pittsburgh where he became a faculty member and supervised the admission, transfer and academic progress of freshmen and sophomores.
The founders of UM hired Ashe from Pittsburgh to oversee the institution during its challenged infancy. During Ashe's presidency, the University added the School of Law (1928), the School of Business Administration (1929), the School of Education (1929), the Graduate School (1941), the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (1943), the School of Engineering (1947), and the School of Medicine (1952).
In 1929, with the collapse of the economy, UM's financial plight was severe, and Ashe took over as Chairman of its Board of Trustees. He later gave up that role but continued as President. He recruited Jay F. W. Pearson
from the University of Pittsburgh to join him as a part of the charter faculty and as an administrator. Pearson took over as president in November 1952 upon the first of two debilitating strokes which lead to Ashe's death the following month. Ashe was inducted into the Iron Arrow Honor Society
, the University of Miami's highest honor.
The University of Miami's administration building, the Bowman Foster Ashe Administration Building, and Bowman Foster Ashe Elementary School (located in West Kendall, Florida
) are both named in his honor.
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
.
Ashe attended Mount Union College
Mount Union College
The University of Mount Union is a 4-year private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Alliance, Ohio.Mount Union enrolls 2200 undergraduates. Approximately 50 percent are women and 50 percent are men, representing more than 22 states and 13 countries. Mount Union has an active alumni base of...
and then transferred to the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
were he earned a Bachelor of Science degree In 1910. After graduation, he took a job teaching English and history in public school. Ashe also worked as the educational/social director of Langeloth, a model town near Pittsburgh. Ashe’s work eventually led him back to the University of Pittsburgh where he became a faculty member and supervised the admission, transfer and academic progress of freshmen and sophomores.
The founders of UM hired Ashe from Pittsburgh to oversee the institution during its challenged infancy. During Ashe's presidency, the University added the School of Law (1928), the School of Business Administration (1929), the School of Education (1929), the Graduate School (1941), the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (1943), the School of Engineering (1947), and the School of Medicine (1952).
In 1929, with the collapse of the economy, UM's financial plight was severe, and Ashe took over as Chairman of its Board of Trustees. He later gave up that role but continued as President. He recruited Jay F. W. Pearson
Jay F. W. Pearson
Jay F. W. Pearson was a marine biologist and university administrator.A charter faculty member of the University of Miami as a marine biologist. President Ashe recruited Pearson from the University of Pittsburgh. As one of Ashe's longtime assistants, Pearson was positioned to succeed Ashe as...
from the University of Pittsburgh to join him as a part of the charter faculty and as an administrator. Pearson took over as president in November 1952 upon the first of two debilitating strokes which lead to Ashe's death the following month. Ashe was inducted into the Iron Arrow Honor Society
Iron Arrow Honor Society
The Iron Arrow Honor Society is a highly selective secret society and honor society at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida for students, faculty, staff and alumni...
, the University of Miami's highest honor.
The University of Miami's administration building, the Bowman Foster Ashe Administration Building, and Bowman Foster Ashe Elementary School (located in West Kendall, Florida
West Kendall, Florida
West Kendall is a Miami suburb in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, within the census boundaries of the Miami suburban community of Kendall. The zip codes serving West Kendall include 33173, 33183, 33175, 33186, 33176, 33193, and 33196...
) are both named in his honor.