A Columbia University professor and former dean died from injuries he suffered when an SUV slammed into him while he was walking home from campus, police said Wednesday.
Peter Awn, 75, who served as the eighth dean of the Ivy League university’s School of General Studies for 20 years, was hit about 6:30 p.m. Jan. 25 by a Toyota Highlander driven by a 23-year-old man at West 116th Street and Claremont Avenue, police said.
He was rushed to Columbia University Medical Center, where he succumbed to his head injury on Sunday. The investigation into the accident continues.
University President Lee Bollinger expressed his “immense sadness” when he announced the veteran educator’s death on Monday morning.
“Since his arrival on the Columbia campus more than four decades ago, no one has been a more beloved member of our community than Peter. The grief we feel at his loss is overwhelming,” he wrote.
“This heartbreak is especially palpable for the General Studies community where, during his 20-year tenure as Dean, Peter came to personify the School’s character, its values, and its mission. In every way that mattered, he and the School were one.
“This unmatched legacy, in addition to his remarkable scholarship and teaching as Professor of Islamic and Comparative Religion, made Peter, without question, one of the essential leaders of Columbia University’s modern era.”
A former Jesuit priest and scholar of Islamic religion, Awn served as dean of the School of General Studies from 1997 to 2017, according to the student-run Columbia Spectator.
“Under his tenure, the school became increasingly integrated into Columbia undergraduate student life, saw an exponential rise in the number of student veterans, and became able to provide an education that was increasingly on par with the academic rigor of Columbia College,” the paper wrote in a lengthy tribute.
“Yet, again and again, students, faculty, and administrators point to his academic and administrative triumphs as secondary to his human ones,” the piece says.
“A man known for his socks, suspenders, and mischievous smile, Awn mentored thousands of students through a crucial juncture of their lives, and, for many, often for years beyond — officiating their weddings, meeting their children, and cheering them on in the New York City Pride parade.”
General Studies student Jenna Marie Rackerby described Awn to the Spectator as “a legend and an idol in our community” shortly before he succumbed to his injuries.
Another student, Kristofer Goldsmith, cited Awn’s work with veterans, like himself, on campus as a testament to his character.
“He was the one who created the character of GS and shaped the personality of this school. … It’s horrible to hear that a man like him could have a bad thing happen to him,” Goldsmith said.
“He’s one of the most special people. It’s a phrase I don’t think I’ve ever used seriously anymore. He has had a profound impact of the lives of thousands of people.”
In a 2016 interview with the Spectator, Awn said: “I’ve never been bored. Annoyed? Yes. But it’s been a real privilege to teach here and to be part of seeing General Studies really come into its own.”