Martha E. François Memorial Scholarship
Martha E. François, Ph.D. was vice president for academic affairs and professor of history at Ramapo from 1981 to 1983. Along with Pam Bischoff and Nancy Mackin, she was one of the first group of women to hold a chief administrative post at the College.
A magna cum laude graduate of Wells College, she held a master’s degree in history from Mount Holyoke College and a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University. Before coming to Ramapo, Dr. François was a professor of history and dean of the School of Liberal Arts at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. Earlier she was a professor of history and a member of the graduate faculty at Northeastern University, dean of freshmen and sophomores at Wellesley College and an instructor in history at Hollins College.
She lectured and published extensively both in this country and abroad on women’s studies, medieval history and higher education. She was active in numerous professional associations including the American Association for Higher Education, the American Association of University Women, the Indiana Academy of Social Sciences and the American History Association.
During her tenure at Ramapo, Dr. François initiated the College Honors Program, the annual convocation for outstanding students and several new academic programs including the Computer Science major. At the time of her death she was working to establish the Law and Society major and Ramapo’s first master’s program, the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies.
“Loyalty to family, friends, colleagues, integrity, a dedication to scholarship and a love of learning and friendship — these were singular — never compromised,” said her friend Dr. Irene Nichols of Northeastern University at Dr. François’ memorial service. The Martha E. François Memorial Scholarship recognizes a Ramapo student of high academic achievement.