Donald Giffin, former director of academic services, passed away this September at his College Park home.
Gifffin was born in Long Beach, California, and served in the Navy just after the end of World War II. After his discharge, he graduated from the University at Santa Barbara. He received a master’s degree in 1956 and a doctorate in 1962, both in history from Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
He began teaching history at the University of Maryland in 1963 and moved into administration in 1967. He was the University of Maryland’s admissions director from 1969 to 1980. He then spent more than five years at UMBC until finally returning to College Park as head of student services for the College of Arts and Humanities until he retired in 1991.
Giffin’s survivors include three children from his first marriage: Bruce Giffin of Santa Barbara, Dan Giffin of Gaithersburg and Tina Giffin of Washington and his five grandchildren.
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