Lorin A. Thompson

Dr. Lorin A. Thompson, Jr. (1902 - March 13, 1999) was the chancellor of George Mason College from 1966 to 1972 and president of George Mason University from 1972 to 1973.

Early Life
Born in Greeley, Colorado, Thompson was one of four children of Lorin Andrew Thompson and the former Annie Hertzog. He attended Ohio State University, where his uncle, Dr. William Oxley Thompson, was president.

Early career
Thompson was the head of the Department of Psychology at Ohio Wesleyan University until 1934. He then became the head of the Registration Division at the Cincinnati Employment Center from 1934 to 1935. He next served as Director of Research, Regional Department of Economic Security from 1935 to 1938, and from 1938 to 1940 was its director. In 1940, Thompson moved to Richmond to work for the Virginia State Planning Board.

In 1944, Thompson moved to Charlottesville, Virginia to lead the Bureau of Population and Economic Research at the University of Virginia. As head of the bureau, he conducted statistical and economic research for state agencies and other organizations. In 1955, Thompson conducted statistical research for the Virginia Advisory Legislative Committee (VALC), and contributed to a report entitled "The Crisis in Higher Education in Virginia and a Solution", an original document that called for the establishment of branch colleges in Northern Virginia and other parts of the commonwealth.

Chancellor and president of George Mason University
During his nine year tenure as head of George Mason University, Thompson oversaw rapid growth and expansion of the university's Fairfax campus. In his first public statement on June 6, 1966, Thompson outlined four actions that were required to support Mason's growth: additional land, a comprehensive educational program, a new master site plan, and access to capital. By July of 1969, Thompson had successfully raised $3,000,000 to purchase the remaining acreage of the Farr property which included an additional 450 acres.