In Memory of Former Dean, Dr. Don Fuller

Dr. Donald Fuller passed away on March 13^th in Yerevan, Armenia.

Dr. Fuller was a Distinguished Senior Lecturer of International Relations and Politics, and Public Policy & Public Administration at AAU. He taught jointly for the School of International Relations & Diplomacy and previous to this, for the School of Humanities & Social Sciences (BA program in Politics & Society and the MA in Applied Sociology & Public Policy). Both before his time at AAU and after, Dr. Fuller was a Professor at the American University of Armenia (AUA), in Yerevan. He was there almost from the founding of that university in the early nineties, including serving as Dean of the Faculty and in most recent years as the Interim Provost.

After completing his Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh, PA (1970), Dr. Fuller reached the first peak of his academic career as a professor of political science at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and he eventually retired from USC as Dean of the School of Public Administration. After his tenure at USC, he then moved into international higher education in Armenia and the Czech Republic.

In Prague, he became a lecturer for Anglo American College (later AAU) in 2002. Over the years at AAU, he held the position of Dean of the School of International Relations & Diplomacy from 2011-2013, and he continued to lecture for AAU until 2017. In addition to his teaching and administrative appointments with AAU and AUA, Dr. Fuller had teaching appointments at the Public & Social Policy Program at the Charles University (Czech Republic) and in China, Hungary, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.

Dr. Fuller was a force of inspiration to his colleagues and his students. He was a mentor and friend to many of us. He was also truly a global citizen who contributed to academic advancement in the studies of comparative public administration and public policy in the United States and post 1989 Europe. He will be remembered as an irreplaceable member of our community, an inspiring man, and a dedicated and generous academic. On a personal note, since relocating to Europe, he ran in over 12 marathons (most of these as a senior citizen); he went on long-distance cycling trips every summer in Italy, and he was a licensed private pilot. Dr. Fuller will be missed by all of his friends, colleagues, and students of his from AAU, all of those who had the great privilege of knowing him. 

Obituary words contributed by Tony Ozuna, Dean, School of Journalism, Media & Visual Arts & George Hays II, Chair of the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy.