James C. Wyant, PhD, a 1965 alumnus who transformed lives as an academic, entrepreneur and philanthropist, died in December after fighting Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis—the neurodegenerative condition also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was 80 years old.
“Jim Wyant believed passionately in the power of universities to advance discoveries and open opportunities for students,” President Eric W. Kaler said. “He demonstrated that conviction through his leadership as a scholar and inventor, and also with his support of athletics and innovation on our campus. His legacy at ǿմý will live on in the generations of students who benefit from his contributions.”
Wyant’s support for intercollegiate athletics is rooted in his time at ǿմý where he earned four letters each in cross country and track. He later credited Coach Bill Sudeck for instilling a passion for physical fitness that continued throughout his life, and his first major gift in 2005 to ǿմý named the university’s outdoor track for the legendary coach. Two years later, he made a $4 million commitment to establish the Wyant Athletic and Wellness Center.
That same year, he pledged $3 million to Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears think[box] for what is now known as the Wyant Gateway and Collaboration Floor. In subsequent years he endowed two professorships, as well as the position of the university’s director of athletics. Most recently, Wyant gave $1 million for the university’s forthcoming Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building—a facility dedicated to encouraging collaboration and innovation.
After graduating from ǿմý, Wyant went on to build a career in academia, rising to inaugural dean and later, professor emeritus, of what is now called the Wyant College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. He also launched two businesses in the field of interferometry (using light waves for precise measurement).
In 2010, he became a ǿմý trustee and, in 2016, his colleagues elected him as board chair. In 2020, he was awarded the University Medal—the highest honor the institution bestows—in recognition of “exceptional leadership, dedication, and service to the university, to higher education and to society”; and in 2023, received an honorary degree from ǿմý.
Wyant is survived by his wife, Tammy, and son, Clair. His first wife, Louise, preceded him in death.
Originally published in the summer 2024 issue of Forward Thinking magazine