Presidential Gallery

Virgil Melvin Hancher
Thirteenth President of the University of Iowa, 1940 — 1964

A Rhodes scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Virgil Hancher led the university for a quarter of a century, a period of unprecedented growth for the campus.

Virgil Melvin HancherTrained in the law, Hancher received the B.A. degree in 1919 and the degree of Juris Doctor in 1924 from the University of Iowa. From Oxford University in England, he received the Bachelor of Arts degree in jurisprudence in 1922 and the Master of Arts degree in 1927.

A strong advocate of higher education, Hancher often appeared before the Iowa Legislature to appeal for greater funding for the university during the post-World War II enrollment boom. He was nationally recognized for his service to higher education, including terms as chairman of the American Council of Education and as president of both the State Universities Association and the National Association of State Universities.

Hancher was born on a farm near Rolfe, Iowa, on September 4, 1896. He married Susan Cannon on June 9, 1928. They had three children. Hancher died on January 30, 1965, in New Delhi, India, while serving as a consultant in higher education for the Ford Foundation. He was 68.

< prev | home | next >

 

Home | Features | People | Diversions | Stay Connected | Advertising
Web production and design by Carol Harker, Karen McCort, Zack Schmidt
Copyright © 2007 by University of Iowa Alumni Association

 

Home
Features
People
Diversions
Stay Connected

Search Magazine
Advanced Search

June 2007

Subscribe to Iowa Alumni Magazine
UIAA main page