Quincy University renames science center after Mount Sterling native who succeeded in agribusiness industry

QUINCY — Quincy University’s Science Center has been renamed the Ryan Center for Science after a dedication on Thursday at QU’s North Campus, 18th and Seminary Road.

The Ryan Center for Science was made possible by a gift from Dr. Richard O. Ryan, Class of 1964, in honor of his parents, Orville and Rose Ryan of Mount Sterling. Ryan was raised on a farm in Mount Sterling and spent his career in the agribusiness industry, primarily in agricultural seeds, working in management and executive positions at DeKalb and Monsanto.

“Given my orientation for ag research and the fact that I have always had a fondness for science, I wanted to give back for the wonderful career that I have had,” Ryan said in a press release. “My education at QU provided a foundation for a successful career and a fulfilling life. The Franciscan tradition and spiritual values gained continue to be some of the most important benefits of those four memorable years.”

Ryan graduated from Quincy University in 1964 with degrees in accounting and economics. He earned an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1966. After graduation, he became an officer in the U.S. Army, serving in Vietnam.

Following his initial employment with Armour & Co. and the Chicago Board of Trade, Ryan added a master’s degree at Stanford’s Food Research Institute in 1979, the year he joined DeKalb Genetics. He became president and chief operating officer of DeKalb in 1990. DeKalb was acquired by Monsanto in 1998, and for the next four years, Ryan served as vice president in global product management, overseeing worldwide seed operations.

“As an alumnus and trustee, Richard Ryan has shown by his example how to live an exemplary life of service,” QU President Brian McGee said. “Dr. Ryan is deeply committed to the Catholic and Franciscan values of Quincy University. He has repeatedly given of his time and expertise to QU and other wonderful causes, along with his generous philanthropic support. I can think of no QU graduate and servant leader I admire more than Richard Ryan.”

Ryan’s gift has made renovations to QU’s Science Center possible. Renovations have been ongoing since 2012. Areas upgraded include the facade of the building, all labs (including biology, microbiology, chemistry, organic chemistry and physics) and common space such as study areas, conference rooms and a food service location.

“We are so grateful for Dr. Ryan’s gift. It has transformed North Campus, allowing the modernization of instructional laboratories, the creation of student-centered spaces and the update of infrastructure throughout the facility,” said Lee Enger, dean of the School of Science and Technology and professor of biochemistry. “It has greatly impacted QU’s capacity to provide high quality educational experiences in the sciences. Nearly every QU student during the past 10 years has benefited from his gracious donation.”

Since retiring in 2002, Ryan has served as a consultant and is involved with numerous philanthropic activities. His exposure to markets and price issues in the developing world has encouraged his strong interest in the Becker Center on Chicago Price Theory.

Ryan received an honorary doctorate in commercial business from Quincy University in 1990 and the Alumnus of the Year Award in 2012. He served on the Quincy University Board of Trustees from 2003-06 and was appointed an emeritus member in 2015.

“We have an excellent leadership team at QU, better than most. The momentum from that leadership is demonstrated by the successful results in enrollment and scholarships in recent years,” Ryan said. “Most alumni of this fine private institution can look back and say, ‘I was at the right place at the right time’ and consider it a true blessing. Clearly, we all need to do our part to give back some of the fruits of those blessings.”

Ryan’s gift has also encouraged others to support the Science Center with gifts to remodel several classrooms, the Environmental Science Lab and a faculty/student research lab. QU is remodeling space that will be used for engineering programs and expanding the cadaver lab.