Storandt '40, longtime admissions director, dies at age 95
Robert William Storandt '40 died April 27 at age 95 at his home in Ithaca.
A Rochester native, Storandt enrolled at Cornell in 1936, beginning what would become a passionate lifelong devotion to the university. As a student, he joined Kappa Sigma fraternity, WVBR and also was a member of Quill and Dagger senior honor society. As editor of The Cornell Daily Sun, he was a strong advocate for Touchdown IV, urging Cornell administrators officially to recognize the bear cub as the university's mascot.
In his 2008 book "Touchdown: The Story of the Cornell Bear," author John Foote '74 acknowledged Storandt's oral histories of Touchdown IV and said: "I hope that this book is a fitting tribute to Bob's enthusiasm, love and respect for Cornell."
After graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1940, Storandt married Jean Marie Cummings, who survives him.
Storandt began his career at the fledgling American Airlines, though he was soon called to serve in the Army, 1st Infantry Division, in World War II, mainly in Germany, reaching the rank of technical sergeant. After the war, he returned briefly to American Airlines, but was soon invited to join the Cornell admissions office. He remained there for the rest of his working life, serving for many years as director of undergraduate admissions.
Storandt was proud that, during his tenure, Cornell was in the vanguard of minority outreach and need-blind financial aid policies. He retired in 1983, and the first Cornell Tradition fellowship was named in his honor. In 1987, he was named director of undergraduate admissions emeritus.
Bob and Jean Storandt had a love of travel, especially aboard ships and across waters of all sizes, from the Atlantic Ocean to the canals of Canada. For decades, their favorite retreat was their camp on Wolfe Island in the Thousand Islands.
Besides his wife, Storandt is survived by two sons, three grandchildren and one great-grandson.