Irving M. Cowle, ‘42

A native of Utica, New York, Irving (Irv) M. Cowle had few financial resources available to support his desire for an education. Determined to earn a college degree, he enrolled in Buffalo State Teachers College in 1938 as a full-time student and worked his way through college. Despite a busy schedule, he always found time for sports. He was a member of the basketball, soccer, track and field, and swimming teams and was the 1940 recipient of the Men’s Sports Award. He was a four year member of the Athletic Council, serving as president in 1941-1942, and was captain of the swimming team. He also participated in the Men’s Campus Club and Delta Kappa, and was elected to Sigma Upsilon honorary. After completing his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 1942, he taught in Eden Valley for a year before enlisting in the army, serving in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

Dr. Cowle’s distinguished career in education spanned 40 years. He taught in public schools for 25 years and was city-wide coordinator for mathematics in White Plains. During that time, he also attended Columbia University in the evenings and after 20 years completed a doctorate in education in 1967. Dr. Cowle joined the education faculty at Farleigh Dickinson University, where he received the Distinguished Teacher Award in 1982. He and his wife, Roslyn, founded a country day school. He also authored three books and over 30 professional articles.

Throughout his life Dr. Cowle stayed active in athletics, taking up racquetball at age 47 and eventually claiming 60 regional and national trophies and garnishing a national ranking in his age group. A supporter of Buffalo State for more than 60 years, he and his wife established the Roz and Irv Cowle Scholarship Fund for students studying education at Buffalo State.

Dr. Cowle established this Fund to ensure that Buffalo State has the ongoing financial resources needed to provide a quality and competitive intercollegiate athletics program.