JOHN ALLEN

John Allen, a UF vice president, took over as interim president after President J. Hillis Miller died in office.

Allen obtained his bachelor of arts from Earlham College in 1928, his master’s in astronomy from the University of Minnesota in 1929, and his Ph.D. from New York University in 1936.

Before coming to the University of Florida, Allen began his career as an instructor at the University of Minnesota and then as an assistant professor of astronomy at Colgate University. He later worked for the New York State Department of Education, where he eventually became director for the Division of Higher Education.

After his term as interim president, Allen stayed at UF as executive vice president until 1957, when he left to become president of a Tampa state institution.

Over the course of his career, Allen authored three textbooks and more than 70 journal articles on such topics as astronomy, higher education and veterans’ education.