Alexander Vavoulis UA.1006
Elizabeth Santiago, 2018
Special Collections Research Center
Henry Madden Library
California State University, Fresno
5200 N. Barton Avenue, M/S ML34
Fresno, CA 93740-8014
scrc@mail.fresnostate.edu
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.
Aquisition
The papers were donated by Alexander Vavoulis in 2010.
Access
The papers are open for research.
Copyright
Copyright has been transferred to California State University, Fresno.
Biographical / Historical
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.
Scope and Contents
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.
Related Collection
University Archives
Fresno Free College Foundation
box 1
Fresno Bee article, undated
box 1
Horizon Recognition Dinner Program and Invitation, undated
box 1
Photograph of Alexander Vavoulis, undated
box 1
Greek culture, 1993, 2009-2010, 2013-2014, and undated
box 1
Miscellaneous, 1993, 2015-2016, and undated
box 1
Chapter from
Diamonds in the Rough, 2016.
box 1
Newspaper Clippings, 1969, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2002, 2013, 2016
box 1
Honorary Dinner Invitations and Responses, 1992
box 1
Voices International Annual Report to the Fresno Free College Foundation, 1992
box 1
Newsletters, letters, newspaper clippings, 1964-1970
box 1
Greek culture newspaper clippings, 1992-1997, 2002, and 2011
box 1
Letters to the Editor, January 1961 - October 1969
box 1
Letters to the Editor, December 1969 - June 1993
box 1
Stockton Town Meeting newspaper articles, 1961-1963
box 1
Greek-Americans Discover Their Roots , 2006
box 1
The Odyssey of William and Katherine Vavoulis, 2005
box 1
Philip Levine Readings and Juan Serrano Pieces, 1980
box 1
KFCF News, 1989, and 2008
box 1
Letters to the Editor of The Fresno Bee
box 1
A Laboratory Manual for General Chemistry, 1960
box 1
Book Reviews, 2013 and 2016