Dr. Samuel E. Kelly — founder and first Vice President of the Office of Minority Affairs at the University of Washington — Passes

A Celebration of Life will be held for Dr. Samuel E. Kelly on Mon., July 27th at 1:30pm in Kane Hall room 130 on the campus of the University of Washington. Kelly, the founder and first Vice President of the Office of Minority Affairs at the University of Washington, passed away on July 6th due to congestive heart failure. Born in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1926, Kelly was an educational advocate who opened doors for hundreds of students of color as well as those who were economically disadvantaged. Kelly’s own career in education was enhanced by his military service. Kelly served in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1966 rising from the rank of Private to Colonel. While in the army, Kelly received a B.A. in History from West Virginia State in 1959 and a B.S. in Education from the same institution four years later. He also received an M.A. in History from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia in 1963, driving 50 miles each way at night to attend classes while teaching ROTC during the day at West Virginia State. Upon retiring from the U.S. Army, Kelly became the first African American hired in the Washington State Community College System when he began teaching at Everett Junior College. In 1970, he became the first African American senior administrator at the University of Washington when UW President Charles Odegaard appointed him Vice President for Minority Affairs, a post he held for nearly a decade. During his tenure as an administrator, Kelly, despite the demands of a full-time administrative post, enrolled in and completed a Ph.D. program in Higher Education Administration at the University of Washington. Dr. Kelly opened doors for hundreds of highly visible students of color as well as economically disadvantaged white students through his professional efforts. He also set the standard for, and established a commitment to diversity before it was popular among American colleges and universities. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Samuel E. Kelly Endowed Scholarship Fund. Further details will be available soon on the Diversity web page, http://www.washington.edu/diversity.