Language of Material: English

Contributing Institution: Special Collections Research Center

Title: Alexander Vavoulis

Identifier/Call Number: UA.1006

Physical Description: 1 Linear Feet DVDs, files, and newspapers

Physical Description: 3 Audiovisual Material

Physical Description: 1 Photographic Prints

Date (inclusive): 1961-2016

Abstract: Vavoulis was a professor of Chemistry from 1963-1994 who was very active in the Fresno Free College Foundation and its radio station, KFCF-FM from the 1970s to 1990s.

The papers were donated by Alexander Vavoulis in 2010.

The papers are open for research.

Copyright has been transferred to California State University, Fresno.

Alexander Vavoulis, an emeritus chemistry professor at the California State Uniersity, Fresno was active in many organizations. He firmly believed in free speech, civil rights and serving his community. His involvement with the community began in 1961 where he was on the board of the Stockton Town Meeting Committee. The committee held two prominent conferences at the time, including "American Foreign Policy in a Revolutionary World" and "Disarmament Prospects after Cuba."

In 1972, Vavoulis became the voluntary President of the Fresno Free College Foundation (FFCF), a position he held for 20 years. In 1975, the FFCF established KFCF-FM, a commercial-free radio station dedicated to civil rights, free speech, and community issues. During his time as president of FFCF, he made invaluable contributions to the Foundation including fund raising for the organization.

In addition to being involved in the community, Vavoulis was deeply rooted in his culture. He wrote several articles regarding numerous Greek composers and artists. In 1993 and 1994 on behalf of the FFCF, Vavoulis presented Greek audiocassette tapes and booklets to California State University, Fresno and the Library of Congress.

Vavoulis retired from the FFCF in 1992 with a banquet held in his honor. Many of his campus and community activities stemmed from serving as President of the Fresno Free College Foundation (1972-1992) and founding and managing KFCF-FM (1975-1992). He was also a member of the Association of California State College Professors and of the United Professors of California.

The papers are arranged in seven series: Alliance for the Arts, Articles, Biography, Binders, DVDs, Newspaper Clippings and Miscellaneous. The Alliance for the Arts (1984-1985) series contains a photograph of Vavoulis, program, recognition dinner invitation, a newspaper clipping from The Fresno Bee, and a narrative. There are two folders in the Articles series (1993, 2009-2010, 2013-2016, and undated). One contains articles about Greek culture written by Vavoulis. The second folder contains articles about academics and articles written by Vavoulis, as well as a letter by Michael Gish. The Biography series (1969, 1994, and undated) contains recommendations for Alex Vavoulis for the President's Medal of Distinction submitted by Douglas E. Noll. This series also contains newspaper clippings about Vavoulis. The Binders series (1987-1997) contains six binders put together by Vavoulis documenting his various activities over three decades. Binder 1 (1992) contains information, invitations, and reservations on Vavoulis' honorary retirement party in the form of letters and newspaper articles. It also contains the Voices International Annual Report to the Fresno Free College Foundation. Binder 2 (1964-1967, 1969) contains multiple newsletters and newspapers clippings from The Fresno Bee, SCAN, The College 'Y', Campus Christian Association, and the Voice of the Faculties. Binder 3 contains several published aritcles about Greek heritage and arts from numerous Greek publications. Binder 4 (1961-1969) and Binder 5 (1961-1993) contain newspaper clippings and Vavoulis' letters to the editor of The Fresno Bee. Binder 6 (1961-1963) contains newspaper clippings and articles about Stockton Town Committee conferences, foreign policy, and controversy surrounding communism in the early 1960s. It also features correspondence from the Society for Individual Responsibility (SIR). The Multimedia series consists of 2 DVDs, one of them titled Greek-Americans Discover Their Roots produced and narrated by Alex Vavoulis and The Odyssey of William and Katherine Vavoulis produced by Alex Vavoulis, Alice Scourby, and Vasiliky Vavoulis. There is also an audio CD of Philip Levine readings and Juan Serrano pieces. The Newspaper Clippings series (1989, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2008-2009, 2011-2013, and undated) contains KFCF News articles from 1989 about the Fresno County Board of Supervisors and the controvery over the KFCF radio program. It also containg letters to the editor of the Fresno Bee. For more newspaper and newsletter clippings, see the Binder series. The Miscellaneous series (2013-2016) contains a book review of The Communal Mind and the Master Artifice by Helen Sullivan, My Life on the Ragged Paths of Pan:Selected Poems and Translations by Thanasis Maskaleris, SPAIN by Nikos Kazantzakis, and a chemistry labratory manual written by Vavoulis for one of his chemistry classes.

University Archives

Fresno Free College Foundation