A LEGACY IN LAW : RAND NAMED CHESTER FRITZ DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR , UND ’ S HIGHEST HONOR
A LEGACY IN LAW : RAND NAMED CHESTER FRITZ DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR , UND ’ S HIGHEST HONOR
BRIAN PAPPAS Dean , University of North Dakota School of Law
There are so many ways one can leave a legacy . Legacies are built by service and dedication to our communities , by passing on values and skills to future generations , or through a successful and long career . Legacies are also built by building a home , planting a garden , or even through writing and artistic endeavors . At the University of North Dakota ( UND ), Chester Fritz left a unique legacy .
to build the Chester Fritz Library . Taking inflation into account , until his death in 1983 , Fritz donated more than $ 18 million to the university !
As a major part of the Fritz legacy , in 1973 UND established the Chester Fritz Distinguished Professorship , the university ’ s highest recognition given to esteemed faculty members . Since the professorship began 50 years ago , only 84 UND professors have been granted this honored distinction , and 32 professors currently hold the title . What makes the Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor designation so special is the impact it signifies . It requires demonstrated achievement and national recognition across research , teaching , and service . Professors are selected by an extensive review and must have made a valuable contribution to the quality of UND ’ s academic programs . Simply put , Chester Fritz Distinguished Professors are professors that leave a legacy .
When asked about Chester Fritz , most people will think of the UND library and auditorium that both bear his name . But few people know much about the man who has had such a great impact on our university . Fritz was born in Buxton , N . D ., in 1892 , and only attended UND for two years before heading west to graduate from the University of Washington in 1914 . Fritz would journey to Hong Kong in 1915 and spend most of the next 35 years working in the flour , metal , and investment industries in the far east . In 1950 , after attending a UND alumni dinner in New York ( despite not being an alum himself ), Fritz gave $ 10,000 to the university . Fritz continued to donate to UND , creating scholarship funds and the Chester Fritz Distinguished Professorship . Later , he would donate $ 1 million , more than half of his net worth ,
Kathryn Rand , right , was one of two UND professors to receive the Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor Award in 2023 . Steven Light , professor of Political Science and Public Administration , also received the award .
22 THE GAVEL