John G. Rangos, Sr., awarded SVOTS Honorary Doctorate
The Board and Faculty of Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary here conferred a Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa, to seminary benefactor John G. Rangos, Sr. in a special ceremony on Sunday, February 7, 2016, in Boca Raton, FL.
A successful businessman and internationally recognized philanthropist, Dr. Rangos is the founder of The John G. Rangos Sr. Family Charitable Foundation, which supports numerous health care and educational efforts. The Foundation made a lasting impact on the seminary by generously supporting the construction of a new administrative building—the John G. Rangos Family Foundation Building—which was completed and occupied in 2001 and which represents a decade of planning, fundraising, and construction.
Family and close friends looked on as Dr. Rangos was hooded by Archpriest Dr. Chad Hatfield, SVOTS Chancellor/CEO.
“Every day on our campus, the John G. Rangos Family Foundation Building is a hub of activities essential to our seminary life,” remarked Father Chad. “We both thank him and honor him with this doctorate of great distinction.”
The building houses administrative offices, the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium, and the Father Georges Florovsky Library, which currently holds over 180,000 volumes.
Alex Machaskee, Executive Chair of the SVOTS Board of Trustees, represented the Board at the conferral ceremony. “Dr. Rangos has been a dear friend of Saint Vladimir’s for many years,” said Mr. Machaskee. “We are sincerely grateful not only for his involvement with our seminary, but with many other Orthodox Christian institutions and humanitarian causes, including International Orthodox Christian Charities, which he founded. Dr. Rangos epitomizes a person who has been blessed and in turn shares his treasures for the benefit of many through multiple humanitarian contributions.”