Andrew A. Sorensen

Andrew A. Sorensen, PhD, 72, passed away suddenly at home April 17. In addition to his loving wife of 42 years, Donna, he is survived by sons Ben (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) and Aaron (Philadelphia, PA); his grandson, Arturo, and Arturo’s mother, Cesarina Budetta Sorensen (Milan, Italy); brother Mark Sorensen (Kate), Flagstaff, AZ; sisters Mary Beth Sorensen Koehler (David), Minneapolis, MN, and Winifred Sorensen Sippel (Albrecht), Freiburg, Germany; father-in-law Samuel Ingemie (Sophie), Columbus, OH; sister-in-law Marilou Ingemie, Fitchburg, MA; many loving nieces and nephews; and special friends Susan Palmer and Anna Constantine.

Dr. Sorensen moved to Columbus in September 2010 to serve as President of The Ohio State University Foundation, Senior Vice President for Development, and Special Assistant to the President for Advancement at Ohio State, where he quickly made his mark with his innate leadership ability and belief in the power and essential importance of higher education. Prior to arriving at Ohio State, he was president of the University of South Carolina, president of the University of Alabama, provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Florida, executive director of the AIDS Institute at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, and dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. At South Carolina, he was also Distinguished Professor of the University and Distinguished President Emeritus, University of South Carolina; Professor of Medicine in its School of Medicine; and President of the Institute for the Advancement of Health Care, University of South Carolina/Greenville Hospital System Academic Health System.

Dr. Sorensen earned a bachelor’s degree in ethics, and master’s and doctoral degrees in medical sociology from Yale University, a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Michigan. He received honorary doctoral degrees from the Medical University of South Carolina, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Queensland (Australia), and the University of South Carolina. Among his other awards were “Administrator Who Contributed Most to Student Government” from the University of Florida Student Government Association; “Award for Distinction in Service to the Community” from the Yale University Divinity School Alumni Association; “Ambassador of the Year” from the Greater Columbia (SC) Chamber of Commerce; “Order of Palmetto” from the governor of South Carolina; and “Presidential Citation for Leadership and Human Rights Advocacy” from the S.C. Chapter of the NAACP.

Dr. Sorensen served on the boards of the National Institutes of Health National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity; Yale University Divinity School Board of Advisors; Collexis Holdings; and Zirus, Inc. He was the author or editor of eight books, and more than 100 journal articles, with his primary research interests in health policy, the education of health professionals, and the epidemiology of infectious diseases.

Throughout his life, Andy extolled the virtues of giving, and he and Donna supported many worthy causes, most recently The Ohio State University, where Andy inspired his colleagues with his generosity and caring nature. A service will be held Tuesday, April 19, at 2 p.m. at Broad Street Presbyterian Church, 760 E. Broad St., with the Sorensen family receiving friends afterwards at the church in Palmer Hall. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in his name to The Ohio State University, 1480 W. Lane Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43221. Visit www.schoedinger.com to offer condolences to Andy’s family.