George C. Griffin

George C. Griffin (1897–1990) served in various positions at his alma mater, the Georgia Institute of Technology, most notably as dean of men from 1946 to 1964. and "Mr. Georgia Tech." He was a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.

Faculty In addition to his other roles, Griffin served as a math instructor, assistant football coach, and coach of tennis, track, and cross-country during his career. He would later serve as "placement officer, alumni club ambassador, emergency loan officer for students, raconteur, recruiter, and any other job that needed doing."

From the 1920s to his retirement in the 1980s, many students utilized Griffin's "Hip Pocket Fund," an unofficial loan slush fund financed by area businessmen. "Instead of sending the money back to where it came from, he would dole it out again to whomever he had on his waiting list," allowing the program to become a sort of need-based scholarship.

Dean of men

In March 1941, Griffin was called to active duty as a captain in the Naval Reserve during World War II and was temporarily replaced by Fred W. Ajax.

Legacy

Griffin received numerous awards and honors. Most notably, several places and events were named after him, including the "Student Galleria" (which consists of the Student Services Building, the Ferst Center for the Arts and the plaza connecting them) He received the 1955 Alumni Distinguished Service Award and was posthumously inducted into the Pi Kappa Phi Hall of Fame. "Dean George Griffin Day" was celebrated again on May 14, 1999.