Background
Randel, Don Michael was born on December 9, 1940.
academic administrator Foundation administrator musicologist
Randel, Don Michael was born on December 9, 1940.
AB magna cum laude, Princeton University, New Jersey, 1962. Master of Fine Arts in Music, Princeton University, New Jersey, 1964. Doctor of Philosophy in Music, Princeton University, New Jersey, 1967.
He has served as editor of the third and fourth editions of the Harvard Dictionary of Music, the Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music, and the Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Randel is a triple alumnus of Princeton University, where he earned his bachelor"s, master"s and doctoral degrees in musicology. After completing his Doctor of Philosophy at Princeton, Randel joined Cornell University as an assistant professor in 1968.
In 1991 he accepted the position of Dean of the College of, then in 1995 became the Provost of Cornell.
On July 1, 2000, Randel succeeded Hugo F. Sonnenschein as President of the University of Chicago. As President, Randel led the Chicago Initiative, a $2 billion capital campaign to solidify the University"s financial footing.
He also worked to strengthen the academic work of the University in many areas, from humanities and arts to physical and biological sciences, and drove efforts to build stronger ties with community and regional organizations. On July 26, 2005, Randel announced that he would leave the University of Chicago to assume the presidency of the Mellon Foundation, where he served from 2006 to 2013.
Board trustees Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association, 2001—2006. Board directors Lyric Opera Chicago, 2004—2006. Fellow: American Academy Arts & Sciences.
Member: American Association for the Advancement of Science, Modern Language Association, American Musicological Society, American Philosophical Society.
Married Carol Randel. Children: Amy Elizabeth Keating, Julia, Emily Catherine Pershing, Sally Randel Eggert.