The Board and Faculty of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary conferred a Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa, to John G. Rangos, Sr., seminary benefactor, in a special ceremony on February 7, 2016, in Boca Raton, Florida.
A successful businessman and internationally recognized philanthropist, Dr. Rangos is the founder of The John G. Rangos Sr. Family Charitable Foundation, which supports numerous health care and educational efforts. The Foundation made a lasting impact on the Seminary by generously supporting the construction of a new administrative building. Named for Dr. Rangos, The John G. Rangos Family Foundation Building was completed and occupied in 2001, and represents a decade of planning, fundraising, and construction.
Family and close friends looked on as Dr. Rangos was hooded by the Very Reverend Dr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor/CEO of St. Vladimir’s.
"Every day on our campus, the John G. Rangos Family Foundation Building is a hub of activities essential to our seminary life,” remarked Father Chad.
“We both thank him and honor him with this doctorate of great distinction."
The building is home to administrative offices, the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium, and the Father Georges Florovsky Library. The Library currently holds over 180,000 volumes. It is considered one of the richest resources available on the North American continent for research on Eastern Christianity.
Mr. Alex Machaskee, executive chair of the Seminary’s Board of Trustees, represented the Board at the conferral ceremony. “Dr. Rangos has been a dear friend of St. Vladimir’s for many years,” said Mr. Machaskee. “We are sincerely grateful not only for his involvement with our seminary, but with many other Orthodox Christian institutions and humanitarian causes, including International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), which he founded. Dr. Rangos epitomizes a person who has been blessed and in turn shares his treasures for the benefit of many through multiple humanitarian contributions.”
A full biography of Dr. John G. Rangos, Sr., may be accessed here.
