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RAMÓN GARCÍA-CASTRO Ramón García-Castro, professor emeritus of Spanish who taught at the College for 35 years, died May 2, at his home in Philadelphia. He was 79. Born in Santiago, Chile, García-Castro was a graduate of the University of Chile, where he trained to teach English. He moved to the United States in 1968, and earned his master’s degree in comparative literature from Harvard University and his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. His scholarly inquiries were not limited to Spanish, but also included English and French literature. García-Castro joined the Haverford faculty in 1972 as an assistant professor. He, along with Luis Manuel Garcia-Barrio from Spain, created the College’s Spanish Department and designed its innovative curriculum and cocurricular program, for which he not only crafted introductory language courses, but also created upper-level courses on Latin American and Caribbean literature, which were new areas of study for the College at that time. He often invited authors, artists, and social and political leaders to campus, and was instrumental in building the Library’s collection in Latin American literature. “His influence on students was profound,” said Provost Fran Blase. “Those who had the good fortune to study with Ramón in his classes or independent thesis work found him to be an energetic, deeply committed, and inspiring educator and scholar. They often described him as ‘the most influential professor’ in their educational experience, ‘a pioneer,’ and ‘a memorable, supportive champion,’ especially of Latinx students in our community. He also was an exemplary faculty colleague, a kind, gentle, humble person, who always offered his support and friendship with a broad, warm smile and a dose of sharp humor.” García-Castro is survived by his devoted partner of many years, Ben Lariccia. RANDY MILDEN Randy Milden, former assistant professor of psychology and dean of the College for more than a decade, died March 10 in Berkeley, Calif., as a result of brain cancer. Milden was raised in Haverhill, Mass., and graduated from Radcliffe College in 1973. She received her master’s and Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Michigan, and taught in the departments of psychiatry and reproductive biology at the
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. A one-year psychology professorship brought Milden to Haverford in 1986, and she joined the dean’s office the following year, while still teaching classes. As dean and assistant professor, Milden was involved in every aspect of campus life, supervising issues regarding housing, multicultural affairs, health services, and student activities, teaching classes, and even presiding over Dorm Olympics in 1995 in place of then-president Tom Kessinger. With her background in feminist psychology, she also sought to advance the College’s inclusivity and consciousness regarding issues of gender, race, and sexual orientation, helping to revise the College’s guidelines on sexual assault during her tenure. Milden also made investments in the broader community during her time at Haverford. She published numerous articles on topics in psychology, was elected to the board of directors for the Philadelphia Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology, and served on the Hillel of Greater Philadelphia Board Committee. After leaving Haverford, Milden moved to the San Francisco area, where she continued writing, focusing on issues of women’s health. She wrote candidly about her experience with breast cancer in an article for The New York Times in 2005, and her work on breast cancer culture was published in the Journal for the Psychoanalysis of Culture and Society. She also served as clerk of the Board of Trustees Quaker Life Committee for the San Francisco Friends School and was a member of the Friends Association of Higher Education. She is survived by her husband, Steve Mayer; her stepson, Adam Mayer ‘10; and her stepdaughter, Emily Mayer ‘14.
Milden and several Haverford colleagues celebrated her 40th birthday in 1991 on campus. Pictured are (from left) Julia Epstein, professor of English; Kaye Edwards, professor of biology and health studies; Matt Hamabata, dean of the College; Marilou Allen, director of 8th Dimension and the Women’s Center; Randy Milden; Anne McGuire, professor of religion; and Elaine Hansen, professor of English and provost.
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