MANSFIELD, PA— Mansfield University President Fran Hendricks posthumously awarded the MU Presidential Coin for Excellence to Dr. Shaker Ramasamy on December 6. Ramasamy, chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics, passed away suddenly on December 2. 
The presentation was made to Ramasamy’s widow, Mani, his daughter, Deepa, and his son, Dinesh, during a memorial service held on campus.
“It is my great honor to present Shaker’s family the Presidential Coin for Excellence for all that he has done, the impact he’s made on all of us; his students and his colleagues for the past 31 years,” MU President Fran Hendricks said. “He was a true friend and mentor, an example for all of us to emulate. Education was his calling; he embodied what it means to be a professor and an educator. I will never forget him and neither will this university. His enduring contributions and legacy are recognized through this award.”
Ramasamy came to Mansfield as an assistant professor in 1984, was promoted to associate professor in 1990 and full professor in 1994. He served as chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics for several years and was also active on many campus committees and community projects.
The coin was developed by Hendricks and designed by MU Publications Director Andy Worthington. It is awarded selectively to persons who have made significant contributions to the university, using the attributes of the Mansfield Creed; Character, Scholarship, Culture and Service as a guideline.
The coin bears several symbols representing historical highlights and other aspects of the university that make it distinctive.
For more information on the Mansfield University Presidential Coin for Excellence and to see the gallery of honorees, go to president.mansfield.edu/coin-for-excellence