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Geoffrey C. Ward: Father dies ... came up with MacArthur genius grants

Source: NYT (7-18-07)

F. Champion Ward, a noted educator and former Ford Foundation executive who helped devise the process by which winners of the MacArthur Foundation's ''genius awards'' are selected each year without their even knowing they have been nominated, died July 2 at his home in North Branford, Conn. He was 96.

The death was confirmed by his son Geoffrey C. Ward, the historian.

Dr. Ward was chancellor of the New School for Social Research in Manhattan from 1980 until 1983. From 1978 to 1981, he was a senior consultant to the board of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

''He was a key person in designing the bold, risk-taking fellowship'' that became known as the genius award, said Daniel J. Socolow, the program's current director.

Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 at 6:42 PM | Comments (0) | Return

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