Randy Fertel
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Randy Fertel | |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | American |
| Education | Harvard University (Ph.D.)
University of Oregon (MA) University of Paris (French Literature) |
| Occupation(s) | Scholar, educator, philanthropist, author |
| Known for | Literature, philanthropy |
Randy J. Fertel is an American scholar, educator, philanthropist, and author known for his contributions to English literature, war literature, and cultural philanthropy. He is the founder of the Fertel Foundation and the Ron Ridenhour Prize for Courageous Truth-telling.[1]
Career
[edit]Fertel served as an Assistant Professor of English at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York, from 1981 to 1985, where he taught courses in composition, poetry, fiction, Shakespeare, and modernism. He was an Assistant Professor of English at the University of New Orleans from 1985 to 1986.[1]
Philanthropy and community engagement
[edit]As President of The Fertel Foundation and The Ruth Fertel Foundation, Fertel has been actively involved in various philanthropic initiatives. In 2003, he co-founded the Ron Ridenhour Prize for Courageous Truth-telling, which honors individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary courage in publicizing information vital to the public interest.[1]
Fertel co-chaired the Edible Schoolyard Task Force at Samuel J. Green Charter School and the Artist Corps Task Force, which aims to involve working musicians in teaching elementary school students. He has served on the boards of multiple organizations, including the Kenyon Review, Louis Armstrong House Museum, Music Rising at Tulane University, the Louis Armstrong Summer Camp, and the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans.[1]
Literary and cultural contributions
[edit]Fertel has organized and directed numerous academic and cultural conferences, including "My Lai 25 Years After Facing the Darkness, Healing the Wounds" at Tulane University in 1994. He has also directed several summer institutes for secondary school teachers, supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, focusing on the Vietnam War's impact on literature and culture.[2]
Books
[edit]| Year | Book | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | The Gorilla Man and the Empress of Steak: A New Orleans Family Memoir[3] | University Press of Mississippi |
| 2015 | A Taste for Chaos: The Art of Literary Improvisation[2][4] | Spring Journal Books |
| 2024 | Winging It: Improv’s Power and Peril in the Time of Trump[5] | Spring Books |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Walker, Judy (2011-10-09). "Randy Fertel, philanthropist and son of steakhouse founder Ruth and 'Gorilla Man' Rodney puts family's legacy into print". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
- ^ a b Rowland, Susan (2016-04-02). "Improvisation and Craft: Art's (Jungian) Opposites". Jung Journal. 10 (2): 93–96. doi:10.1080/19342039.2016.1157418. ISSN 1934-2039.
- ^ THE GORILLA MAN AND THE EMPRESS OF STEAK | Kirkus Reviews.
- ^ A TASTE FOR CHAOS | Kirkus Reviews.
- ^ WINGING IT | Kirkus Reviews.