Kenneth G. Ryder

Kenneth Gilmore Ryder (April 30, 1924 – October 29, 2012) was the 4th president of Northeastern University, a post he held from 1975 to 1989. Ryder began his career in education as a history teacher in 1949 and moved into administration in 1955. As president of Northeastern, he contributed to the growth of the student population to nearly 50,000 students, a $43 million fund-raising drive, and the construction of nine campus buildings.

Early life

Kenneth (Ken) Ryder was born on April 30, 1924, in Brockton, Massachusetts, to Russell Gilmore Ryder and Etta Carr Ryder. Russell Ryder (September 2, 1892 – January 25, 1965) was a veteran of World War I, serving in the 312th Field Signal Battalion as a signal officer in France during the war. Russell had learned the telegraph trade from his father and uncles who were all telegraph officers. For many years, Russell was a payroll officer for the C.S. Pierce Shoe Company, in Brockton, Massachusetts. During World War II, Russell Ryder put his telegraph skills to work again and was employed by the Submarine Signal Company of Boston helping with the war effort. Russell married Etta Coffin Carr (Dec. 19, 1888 – May 11, 1986) on July 19, 1921. Etta grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts, and graduated from Brockton High School in 1904. Etta and Russell had one child, Kenneth, in 1924.

Ken Ryder was a good student throughout his early years, excelling in history and public speaking. His public speaking ability was something that was honed as a part of the debate team and this was a skill that was admired throughout his lifetime. Ryder graduated from Brockton High School in 1940, giving the graduation address, and was named an Augustus Howe Buck Fellow, which included a full scholarship to Boston University. Ryder became the first in his family to attend college. (In later years his father received a law degree by correspondence, and Russell had hoped that Ken would go on to become a lawyer as well). Ryder once said, “My father thought law was the ideal profession, and it was there I set my sights."

But without the scholarship, there would have been no college and that fact shaped Ryder’s view of higher education for the rest of his life. "My father had lost his job, and I was working after school and summers to help out. I wanted to go to Harvard or Boston University, but I'd pretty much given up the idea of college at all. It was a teacher who urged me to apply to BU and it accepted me. Still, that wouldn't have been possible without the award. The fellowship shaped my view about the importance of helping people – whatever their financial background – to get a college education so they can develop their potential." ”

In addition to physical expansion, Ryder was committed to improving the quality and scope of the academic programs offered at Northeastern as well. Having come from the History department, he was personally committed to establishment and expansion of academic programs in the arts and humanities. In addition to these areas, he also understood that Northeastern, with its long history of quality engineering programs, could play a role in the emerging technology fields. The first modern computer equipment was installed at the University under Ryder, and Northeastern established the nation's first College of Computer Science in 1982. Research programs also increased during Ryder’s administration. In 1978 the University Council on Research and Scholarship was established to promote development of research and scholarship activities.

Publications

1986 Cooperative Education in a New Era, Kenneth G. Ryder, James W. Wilson and Associates.

Organizations Trustee emeritus, WGBH Founding chairman of the World Council on Cooperative Education conference

Awards

Ryder Hall (Arts and Humanities Classroom), named for Ken Ryder upon his resignation as president in 1989. Mt Ryder, A small oval of land centrally located at Northeastern’s main entrance was refurbished by the donations of the graduating class of 1989 Honorary Degrees from: 1985, UMass Amherst 1988, Columbia College Chicago (Dizzy Gillespie also honored that year) 1989, Boston College, Doctor of Science in Education Boston Center for Community and Justice (BCCJ) Opening Boston Award, 1983. Kenneth G Ryder Honored with: John M. Connors Jr., Michael S. Dukakis and Henry L. Foster Boston University Arts & Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Academy of Distinguished Bostonians, 1989.Every year since 1983, the Greater Boston Chamber inducts one or more accomplished citizens into the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians. Kenneth G Ryder was named a Distinguished Bostonian in 1989. Hecht-Shaw Award from the Lena Park Community Development Corporation, 1992