معرفی
Bro. Raymond L. Fitz, S.M., Ph.D. is a full-time Professor of Social Change in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Dayton. After serving as the university’s longest-tenured president (1979–2002), he spent 17 years directing leadership initiatives at the Fitz Center for Leadership in Community and remains an active faculty member focused on social justice and urban poverty issues.
Education
- B.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of Dayton (1964, with honors)
- M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Polytechnic University (New York)
- Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Polytechnic University (New York)
Research & Teaching Focus
Brother Ray’s scholarship centers on understanding and alleviating urban poverty and racial injustice. He integrates Catholic social teaching with empirical regional analysis to design community-based interventions. In the classroom, he co-teaches the seminar Leadership in Building Communities and lectures widely on metropolitan social challenges.
His written work explores themes such as the Dayton metropolitan region’s social fabric, two-generation poverty-reduction strategies, the intersection of Catholic education with urban missions, and frameworks for regional solidarity grounded in the Church’s preferential option for the poor.
Scientific & Leadership Awards
- Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh Award, Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (2015)
Community Leadership & Service
Brother Ray’s service portfolio is extensive:
- Co-chair, Commission for Minority Inclusion
- Board member, Omega Community Development Corporation
- Convener, Neighborhood-Based 2-Generation Approaches Committee
- Steering Committee member, Bridges Out of Poverty
- Former co-chair, Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund
- Founding organizer, Montgomery County Family and Children First Council
- Executive director (7 years), Association of Marianist Universities
- Mentor (10 years), Marianist Student Communities at UD
He continues to facilitate social-justice formation for participants in Marianist PULSE, a post-graduate volunteer program.
