SAUGUS — Northeastern University’s fifth President, Dr. John “Jack” Curry, died in his Saugus home Friday at the age of 88 (obituary on page A2).
Curry graduated from Lynn English High School in 1951 before attending Northeastern University, which he graduated from in 1956. In 1960, he received his master’s in education from Northeastern and in 1980, he received his doctorate in education from Boston University.
Before earning his doctorate, Curry started his career in education teaching elementary and secondary school in Bourne, Saugus, and Newton. His first administrative position was as an assistant principal of a junior high school in Saugus.
From 1989 to 1996, Curry returned to Northeastern to serve as the university’s first alumnus president. Under his leadership, Northeastern built its Engineering and Science Research Center, a state-of-the-art classroom building, and a recreation center.
In a report from the university’s news service, Northeastern Global News, current Northeastern President Joseph Aoun said he would remember Curry as a trailblazer in education leadership, and as the president whose “smaller and better” agenda made the university stand out among its rivals.
“As the visionary and architect of the ‘smaller and better’ agenda, Jack Curry was a giant who laid a foundation for decades of success at Northeastern following his presidency,” Aoun said. “It was an honor to get to know Jack when I arrived at Northeastern. I valued his insights, advice and good humor. The entire Northeastern family, and the world of higher education, owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude.”
During his tenure, Curry also established a computer network on campus, and in 1993, hosted former President Bill Clinton to speak at Northeastern’s 91st Commencement Ceremony.
In his retirement, Curry wrote and published nine novels, including his most recent “Running in Lane One.”
Calling hours will be held from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Home, 549 Lincoln Ave., Saugus. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Blessed Sacrament Church, 14 Summer St., Saugus.
