L. Randolph Lowry III, also known as Randy Lowry,[3] (born 1951/1952) is an American academic administrator. He was the President of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee from 2005 to 2021.[4]

L. Randolph Lowry III
President of Lipscomb University
In office
September 2005 – September 2021
Preceded bySteve Flatt
Succeeded byCandice McQueen
Personal details
Born1951 or 1952 (age 72–73) [1]
Oregon, U.S.
SpouseRhonda Lowry[2]
Children3
ResidenceNashville, Tennessee
Alma materPepperdine University, M.A.
Hamline University, J.D.

Early life

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Lowry was born in Oregon and grew up in Long Beach, California.[1][5] He graduated with a B.A. in political science and an M.A. in public administration from Pepperdine University.[5] He obtained his J.D. from Hamline University.[1][5]

Career

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Lowry started his career by working in the president's office at both Hamline University and Willamette University.[1] From 1986 onwards, he taught law at Pepperdine University, where he established the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution.[1][5][6] He has also taught at Vermont Law School, the City University of Hong Kong, Shantou University in Beijing, China, Bond University in Gold Coast, Australia, Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and the University of Modena in Modena, Italy.[1][5]

In 2005, Lowry became President of Lipscomb University.[5][1] In September 2017, he apologized after hosting a dinner at his home for African-American students where the menu was "mac n cheese, collard greens, corn bread"[7] and the centerpieces "contained stalks of cotton,"[3][8] a symbol of slavery in the United States.

Personal life

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Lowry and his wife, Rhonda,[2] live in Nashville. They have three children together.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Lipscomb Board Chooses Lowry for Presidency". Lipscomb University. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  2. ^ a b "Presidential Spouse". Lipscomb University. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b Roll, Nick (September 18, 2017). "Lipscomb President Apologizes for Centerpieces". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  4. ^ Chaudoin, Kim (August 5, 2021). "Former Tennessee Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen appointed 18th president of Lipscomb University". Lipscomb University. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "President's Biography - Office of the President | Lipscomb University". president.lipscomb.edu. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  6. ^ "Senior Leadership - About Lipscomb | Lipscomb University". www.lipscomb.edu. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  7. ^ Bever, Lindsey (September 20, 2017). "A university president held a dinner for black students — and set the table with cotton stalks and collard greens". The Denver Post. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  8. ^ Alund, Natalie Neysa (September 16, 2017). "Lipscomb president apologizes for cotton stalk centerpieces". The Tennessean. Retrieved September 18, 2017.