Pride in Providence: Raymond P. ’65 and Carol Heath
Dr. Raymond P. Heath ’65 and his wife Carol feel tremendous “pride in Providence College’s evolution over the last 100 years.” Both see PC as a highly regarded, competitive, national College with facilities to rival the best. Ray established two charitable gift annuities totaling $65,000 to support the Angel Fund in honor of his 50th Reunion and to celebrate Providence College’s centennial. The Angel Fund enables students facing temporary but unexpected challenges to meet the financial costs of continuing their studies, uninterrupted.
Ray first learned of PC through his childhood parish, St. Mary’s in New Haven, Connecticut, which has been under the care of the Dominicans since 1886. Ray’s family, namely his parents, were good friends with parish priest Fr. Keating, who introduced the Heaths to Fr. Vincent C. Dore, O.P. ’23. Fr. Dore was the seventh president of Providence College from 1961 to 1965. Early Dominican influence and Ray’s relationships with Fr. Keating and Fr. Dore sealed his decision to attend PC.
Ray recognizes the lasting influence many of the Dominicans imprinted upon his life, especially Fr. Thomas M. Coskren, O.P. ’55, his English professor. Fr. Coskren a “brilliant teacher,” not only engendered enthusiasm from students but also served as a strong moral example. Ray recalls fondly the 10 p.m. one-on-one meetings Fr. Coskren would arrange in Raymond Hall cafeteria. Lighthearted discussions ensued, including classwork, literature, and developing life’s meaning.
During his remarkable career, Ray held senior leadership roles in university student affairs at Ohio Wesleyan, La Salle, and Marywood universities. Before retiring, Ray served as Vice President for Student Life/Associate Professor of Education at Marywood University. Honored with the Ignatian Medal by the Jesuit Association of Student Personnel Administrators in 1990, he was inducted as a Pillar of the Profession in 2008 by the NASPA Foundation and was the 2014 recipient of the Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Performance, the organization’s highest honor.
Ray possesses a keen appreciation of the power that challenging academics and a rich campus life offers to rising students. As Harkins Society members, Ray and Carol want to ensure PC’s robust legacy for the next century and beyond.