SPOTLIGHT ON HERRICK SOCIETY MEMBER KATHLEEN RYDAR
Kathleen Rydar, BA English ’67, MA English ’80, former president of That Man May See in San Francisco, CA., supports the College of Arts & Sciences with a focus on the humanities.
Following in the footsteps of her late husband, Thomas Wood Boyden, she became the long-time president of That Man May See, an organization focused on eye health and vision research. Recently retired, she has been an inspiring fund raiser and administrator for this organization and will continue in a consulting role. Over the years Rydar has expressed her commitment to the arts and humanities through her board affiliations, and development efforts for esteemed organizations like the San Francisco Ballet, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
She also developed both passion and an expertise in letter press printing and bookbinding, and is an avid collector of books and art. She is a firm believer in the importance of the humanities in education, which is reflected in her very generous gifts. Kathleen has supported her major, the English Department, and the humanities in the College of Arts & Sciences with both current and planned gifts, providing admittance into the Herrick Society, which recognizes all KSU alumni and friends with such intentions.
When asked about her commitment to supporting Kent State University, Kathleen says, “It always felt that Kent State and the English Department faculty ‘gave me my shoes,’ and so I feel strongly about giving back to help future generations succeed.”
Rydar plans to visit the KSU campus in Florence, Italy in the future while she is there for an immersive Italian language program and to learn from master book artists.