Charles Raymond Adrian

Early life and education In December 1924, Adrian's mother sued his father for divorce and custody of Adrian and his sister, Marian. After his parents' divorce Adrian relocated with his mother and sister to his mother's hometown of Davenport, Iowa. Having been dissuaded against pursuing music while still a high school student, Adrian pursued political science at Cornell College. With the US entrance into World War II, Adrian enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in 1943 where he served in the Weather Wing. After his military service ended in 1946, Adrian returned to Cornell College, graduating in 1947 with a Bachelor's degree. Adrian met his future wife Audrey Nelson, a euphonium player, at a concert in Iowa. Adrian wrote a third, The Origin of Minnesota's Nonpartisan Legislature, specifically discussing the "political accident" of nonpartisanship in the Minnesota Legislature. Adrian was promoted to associate professor in 1957 and again to chair of the political science department in 1963.

Adrian was recruited by fellow University of Minnesota-alum Ivan Hinderaker, the Chancellor of University of California, Riverside (UCR), to join the faculty. Adrian served as chair of the political science department from 1966 until his retirement on June 30, 1988 as the effects of his diabetes hampered his ability to teach.

Adrian was a member of the American Political Science Association, the American Society for Public Administration and the American Association of University Professors.

Selected published works