Jim Baird: “Today, I rise to celebrate and honor the life of Dr. David L. Rice. Dr. Rice was the founding and first president of the…”

“Today, I rise to celebrate and honor the life of Dr. David L. Rice. Dr. Rice was the founding and first president of the University of Southern Indiana, where he worked from 1967 until his retirement in 1994. Before his time at the University of Southern Indiana, Dr. Rice earned a bachelor of science in agriculture and a master of science and a doctor of philosophy in education, all from Purdue University. While studying at Purdue, he met his wife, Betty J. Fordice, and the two were shortly wedded to one another. The following year of their marriage, Dr. Rice answered the called for his country and served in the United States Army infantry in Korea. After serving in the military, Dr. Rice returned to Indiana, where he taught public school while pursuing his advanced degrees at Purdue. In 1967, Dr. Rice was appointed to lead the Evansville campus of Indiana State University. By 1985, under his leadership, the campus became its own separate university, the University of Southern Indiana. During his tenure, the University of Southern Indiana grew in enrollment from 992 students to 7,443, expanded the curriculum from 2-year degree programs to a comprehensive range of baccalaureate and master's degree programs. He did such an exemplary job, they honored him by naming the library after him. Dr. Rice was also very dedicated to bettering his community.…”