David Colburn’s teaching and work left a legacy on the Bob Graham Center for Public Service as well as the political and ethical education at UF.
The former UF provost and history professor died at noon Thursday at UF Health Shands Hospital, wrote Victor Yellen, UF assistant provost emeritus, in an email.
Colburn, a veteran of the Vietnam War, was a specialist in politics, race and ethnicity, according to the Graham Center website. He served as provost and senior vice president from 1999-2005 and was a professor in the UF department of history since 1972.
He was also chairman of the department of history from 1981-1989 and later moved from vice provost to dean of the UF International Center from 1997-1999.
He was a distinguished lecturer for the Organization of American Historians, a Road Scholar for the Florida Humanities Council and a regular contributor to many Florida newspapers.
Colburn authored and edited 14 books and wrote more than 200 essays on politics.
He died of medical complications from an extended illness, Steve Orlando, UF spokesperson, wrote in a text message.
“I knew him for many years,” Orlando wrote. “He was a truly good and decent man and a wonderful scholar of history who believed strongly in civic duty and service. I will miss him.”
The Alligator will publish an obituary.
