John Ashley Blackburn passed away peacefully at his home in Charlottesville, Va., on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, surrounded by his loving family. Jack was born on November 29, 1941, to Stephen John and Ruth Johnson Blackburn in Colora, Md. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Betty Blackburn; sister, Dawn Blackburn Sobocinski, of Wilmington, Del.; daughter, Heidi Blackburn Helmers, of Louisville, Ky.; son, John Ashley Blackburn Jr., of Lexington, Va.; and his four beloved grandchildren. Jack was educated at Western Maryland College and Indiana University, served overseas in the United States Army, and then began a career in college admissions as Director of Admission at Mary Baldwin College in 1968. In 1979 he was hired by then-Dean of Admission, John T. Casteen III, to become an associate dean at the University of Virginia. Jack was appointed Dean of Admission in 1985 and served in that role until his death.
Blackburn worked tirelessly to make U.Va.'s student population more racially, internationally, and socioeconomically diverse while also dramatically raising the overall academic profile of the University. Blackburn created an outreach office within Admission to encourage highly qualified AfricanAmerican students to apply and accept offers of admission; as a result, U.Va.'s African-American students graduate at the highest rate of any public university in America. He pushed for increased financial aid for students and abolished the University's early-decision admission process, which he felt provided undue advantage to students from families affluent enough to commit to the University without first seeing a financial aid offer. Blackburn was instrumental in creating the AccessUVa financial aid program, under which accepted in-state students from lower income families receive a full scholarship, and promoted it enthusiastically, repeatedly visiting high schools in communities all over the Commonwealth, from Tangier Island to Grundy. He often said, "There are smart kids everywhere."
In recognition of his service to the University, Blackburn received the Thomas Jefferson Award, the highest honor given to a member of the University community, in 2008. Blackburn also served as a trustee to the College Board and as an Elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
His grace, integrity, and extraordinary generosity will be missed, but his legacy endures in the lives of the countless people he has touched throughout his life.
A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 24, 2009, at Westminster Presbyterian Church at 190 Rugby Road, Charlottesville. A reception will follow at Alumni Hall, 211 Emmet Street.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the John A. Blackburn Endowed Scholarship for AccessUVA, Office of Development and Public Affairs, Attn: Gift Accounting, P.O. Box 400807, Charlottesville, Va. 22904; the Jack and Betty Blackburn Endowed Jefferson Scholarship, Jefferson Scholars Foundation, P.O. Box 400891, Charlottesville, Va. 22904; or the Westminster Church Endowment Funds, P.O. Box 3365, Charlottesville, Va. 22903.
Published in the Roanoke Times from 1/22/2009 - 1/23/2009