UC Riverside Athletics to Honor the Life and Legacy of Dr. Larry Harper on Saturday, March 2, 2024
3/1/2024 9:17:00 AM | General
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Riverside Athletics announced today, Friday, March 1, it will honor the life and legacy of the late Dr. Larry Harper during the Saturday, March 2, home game against the University of Hawai'i. In addition, the scholarship Dr. Harper established in honor of his parents, the Hueston M. and Margaret W. Harper Award for Outstanding Scholar-Athletes, will be awarded to a deserving Highlander during the in-game ceremony where members of Dr. Harper's family will be present. Â
This year's awardee is Highlander cross country runner Collette Lowengrub.Â
"Collette epitomizes the true meaning of the word student-athlete," said Nate Browne, UC Riverside Director of Cross Country and Track & Field. "She has been dedicated to her sport and academic pursuits since the day she stepped foot on campus. Working with Coach Zach Newsom, they have partnered to produce many high-level distance performances in cross country and track, including back-to-back trips to the NCAA preliminaries. She is most deserving of this honor."
Dr. Harper, who served as an Associate Professor of Mathematics at UCR from 1970 to 2006, passed away in October of 2023. He is remembered by his colleagues as a "folk hero in combinatorics." From his earliest days at UC Riverside, his colleagues could not miss the combination of Professor Harper's easy personal manner and sharp professional skills. His colleagues regarded him as a brilliant and caring person who guided his students through their first forays into mathematical research and mentored them as they pursued their academic interests both at UC Riverside and beyond.Â
Dr. Harper also served on the Board of Directors for the UCR Athletics Association from 1992-1997, where he created the Hueston M. and Margaret W. Harper Award for Outstanding Scholar-Athletes in honor of his parents, who were physical education instructors. Â
Tickets for Saturday's game are available at highlanderstickets.universitytickets.com. Â
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