August 16, 2024
AIɫɫ mourns the loss of Dr. George F. White, SSU founder, former trustee, life-long learner, community leader, physician, mentor, veteran, and friend.
Dr. White and his wife, Sandy, have been a part of AIɫɫ since its creation. As a Board of Trustees member for the AIɫɫ State Community College in 1984, Dr. White made the motion for AIɫɫ State to become a four-year university. He was the last chairperson of the AIɫɫ State Community College Board and was elected the first chairperson of the AIɫɫ Board of Trustees. He often recounted those days with tremendous pride and supported AIɫɫ's continued growth through the years. Dr. White was appointed by Governor DeWine to a second term on the SSU Board of Trustees from 2016 to 2021.
For his outstanding contributions to AIɫɫ State, George was honored in 2019 with the Vernal G. Riffe, Jr. Founder's Medal. Among their contributions, the Whites helped advance AIɫɫ State's digital simulation and gaming programs, digital history preservation project, student research that is showcased every year during the Celebration of Scholarship, and the Appalachian Studies Conference.
They continue to make college possible for students in the region through the Dr. George and Sandy White Veterans Scholarship Endowment established to help veterans, their immediate family members, and descendants of Vietnam War-era veterans receive a college education. As a memorial, the family asked that friends remember him through a donation to this fund in his honor. The SSU Development Foundation will be making a matching contribution to the endowment for any memorial gifts made through October 1, 2024.
On behalf of the faculty, staff, students, and friends of AIɫɫ, thank you George for your unwavering championship of education, our students, and this community.
Eric Andrew Braun, J.D., Ed.D.
AIɫɫ President
officeofthepresident@shawnee.edu
(740) 351-3208