University News
Former WIU Professor Receives Silliman University's Highest Award
September 4, 2009
MACOMB, IL – Former Western Illinois University Education Professor Victor Rich, and his wife, Jeanne, of Galesburg (IL), recently received the highest award given from Silliman University in the Phillippines for their years of volunteer service.
The Riches, who are the first Americans to receive The Order of Horace P. Silliman, were honored at a reception in Orlando, FL in July. The award is named after the individual who founded Silliman in 1901. Rich and his wife volunteered at Silliman University during the summers, from 1983 until 1992.
At Silliman, Rich taught undergraduate and graduate courses and student-teacher classes. He also developed new courses for the university and gave numerous lectures at area colleges and community organizations.
According to the Riches, they were so enthused by a volunteer nurse in Central America who had spoken at their church that they applied for voluntary services through the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia (UBCHEA) and found themselves at Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Phillippines. From 1983 to 1987, the Riches would spend the summer months at Silliman, and following Victor's retirement in 1989, they returned for a full eight months of service.
Rich joined Western's faculty in 1963, teaching education classes at the Western Illinois University Graduate Center in the Quad Cities, retiring in 1989. Prior to teaching at Western, Rich taught math and science at Abingdon Junior High School.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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