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News Release

Last modified: Thursday, December 2, 2004

SUNY honors Chancellor Emeritus and former IU President John W. Ryan

Establishes Chancellor John W. Ryan Fellowship in International Education

Editor's note: This news release was issued by the Office of Public Relations at the State University of New York.

NEW YORK CITY -- State University of New York Board of Trustees Chairman Thomas F. Egan and Chancellor Robert L. King today announced the establishment of the Chancellor John W. Ryan Fellowship in International Education in honor of Chancellor Emeritus Ryan. Ryan also is a former president of Indiana University.

Ryan is King's predecessor at SUNY. The Board appointed Ryan interim chancellor in July 1996. Ryan was then appointed chancellor of the State University of New York on a permanent basis in April 1997 and served through Dec.1999.

Ryan was president of Indiana University from 1971 to 1987 and holds the title president emeritus of Indiana University.

The Board of Trustees honored Ryan with the title of chancellor emeritus in Nov. 1999. Ryan was the first to have that title bestowed. For a biography of Ryan, please visit: https://www.suny.edu/sunynews/News.cfm?filname=2004-12-01JohnRyanBio.htm

Among Ryan's many significant accomplishments in the international education arena are the creation of the graduate public administration program at the University of Thammsat in Bangkok, Thailand; the establishment of the SUNY Center for Russia and the United States and its sister Center for the United States and Russia located at Moscow State University; and his initiative to develop SUNY's extensive program of collaboration with the Turkish Council of Higher Education. Throughout his life, Ryan has worked to unite people and societies through shared education and knowledge.

"I am very proud to honor Jack Ryan for his accomplishments in international education while chancellor of the State University of New York," said Egan. "The Chancellor John W. Ryan Fellowship in International Education is a fitting honor for someone who has done so much to improve the scholarship opportunities for State University of New York students and who has helped us to attract top students from around the world."

"Chancellor Ryan has been a great friend to me and to the State University of New York," said King. "I have great admiration and respect for him as a person, a scholar and administrator and I am delighted to play a part in honoring him through the establishment of the John W. Ryan Fellowship in International Education. Jack Ryan is most deserving of this tribute because of his recognition of the critical importance of international education and for his work in bringing about our tremendous success."

"I am pleased the State University of New York has accomplished so much in international education and I am truly humbled by this honor," said Ryan. "Thanks to the leadership and dedication of Chairman Egan and Chancellor King, the State University of New York is a world leader in international education through innovative programs such as the dual degree program with the Republic of Turkey."

The first recipient of the Ryan Fellowship is Professor Kemal Gürüz, former president of the Turkish Council of Higher Education, a cabinet-level post to which he was appointed by the immediate past Turkish President Süleyman Demirel in 1995 and in which he served until 2003. Gürüz was a key collaborator with SUNY in making the dual degree program possible.

"To be selected as the first recipient of the Ryan Fellowship is one of the greatest honors for me in my career in higher education," said Gürüz. "That Chairman Egan and Chancellor King would bestow such a tribute upon me is a moving and humbling experience. I would also like to thank and commend Chairman Egan, Chancellor King and Chancellor Emeritus Ryan for their unwavering commitment to the dual degree program with Turkey."

Demand by Turkish students in the dual degree program has been very strong. Last year, 262 students enrolled in dual degree programs in the fall of 2003, the first year of the program.

This year, more than 3,300 Turkish students applied for the program. The Turkish Council of Higher Education data for the fall 2004 shows that 500 Turkish students are now placed in the dual degree programs.

The University at Binghamton and the College at New Paltz have Turkish students on campus studying. The Maritime College will have students on campus for the spring 2005 semester and the University at Buffalo will have Turkish students on campus for the fall 2005 semester. The College at Cortland anticipates enrolling students in 2006.

A dual diploma joint program is administered by a Turkish university and its partner State University campus. After successfully completing all required coursework, the degree recipient will receive two diplomas - one from each institution. No student will receive the degree or either of the diplomas without satisfying the academic requirements of the dual diploma joint program.

The State University of New York and the Turkish Council of Higher Education offer 10 dual diploma programs in six subject areas; business, economics, global and international affairs, information systems and technology, marine engineering and marine transportation and management engineering.

For more information on the dual degree program between the State University of New York and the Turkish Council of Higher Education, please visit:

https://www.suny.edu/sunyNews/News.cfm?filname=2003-05-01TurkishPartnersRelease.htm.

Gürüz will have an office at the SUNY Maritime College, which is the next campus to host students from the university's dual degree program with Turkey. Gürüz's term as the Ryan Fellow will begin in January and run through August 2005.

Gürüz will travel to SUNY campuses to assist presidents who wish to take part in the university's dual degree program, lecture on issues and events in the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East regions, and work with students and faculty who participate in the university's dual degree programs with Turkey.

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States educating more than 413,000 students in 6,688 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit https://www.suny.edu.

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