Remembering Vartan Gregorian
In the last quarter of the 20th century, and the first quarter of the 21st, few figures in the worlds of philanthropy and higher education tower as large as Vartan Gregorian. An immigrant who understood the power of America’s role in the world, a champion of peace, international dialogue, and social justice, the institutions Dr. Gregorian led—including the New York Public Library, Brown University, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York—reflected his idealism, his fundamental commitment to the pursuit of wisdom, and his genuine belief in the ability we all share to leave the world a better place.
Salve Regina University presented Dr. Gregorian with an honorary degree in 1998. The degree citation heralded him for his innovation, his truth-seeking, and his pursuit of “solutions to critical world problems.”
Salve Regina University and the Pell Center remember him and mourn with those who loved him. The world is a better place because of Vartan Gregorian.