Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, July 16, 1994                   TAG: 9407160052
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

O. FERRARI, PROFESSOR AT TECH, DIES

Ferrari, 63, was instrumental in creating the College of Architecture and Urban Studies during the 1960s, said Dean Patricia K. Edwards. "He profoundly influenced many of the faculty in their teachings and created a love for the profession in the students. He will be sadly missed by us all."

Charles W. Steger, former dean of the college and current vice president of development and university relations, called Ferrari "an individual who brought an extraordinary gift to the art of teaching" and said that he "was able to tap the spirit of students and motivate them to realize levels of accomplishment they never suspected were possible."

Ferrari joined Tech's faculty in 1965. Within four years, he won the university's Wine Award for Teaching Excellence and the Virginia Society, American Institute of Architects, teaching award. In 1977, he received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and was inducted into the university's Academy of Teaching Excellence. He was named an Alumni Distinguished Professor in 1982.

In 1990, he received the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Distinguished Professor Award.

Educated at the Professional School Solothurn and Graduate School of Design in Ulm, Germany, he was a visiting professor at the architecture schools of the University of Colorado, Catholic University, Tulane University and the University of Kentucky.

In 1968, he founded the study-abroad program for the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech and continued to direct the popular program until his death.