DANIEL GERARD RICHTER
1977 - 2024

 

Honoring the Legacy of Dan Richter: Establishing an Endowment Scholarship in His Memory

On the evening of August 4, 2024, we lost our beloved Dan after his courageous battle with cancer. His family, friends, and the community of writers he touched are deeply grieving his loss.

Dan lived a life brimming with passion, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of his dreams. To honor his remarkable journey and celebrate the impact he made on so many lives, we want to establish the Dan Richter Endowment to provide scholarships for students in the SUNY Fredonia Writing Program.

A Legacy of Leadership and Creativity

Dan flourished during his college experience at SUNY Fredonia. Between 1995-2000 he was one of the most well-known, and well-loved, student leaders and was actively engaged in Leadership Development Programs, Delta Chi, Residential Life, Superdance, LGBT advocacy, Spectrum, STEPS, Orientation, Alma Mater Society, Homecoming (king), Fredonia TV, and senior class president, to name a few.

After earning his Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology, Dan began a career in higher education with aspirations of becoming Dean of Students. However, his true passion lay elsewhere. At the age of thirty, Dan took a bold step and moved to Los Angeles to follow his dream of becoming a television writer. He joined the prestigious ABC/Disney Writers’ Program and worked on acclaimed shows such as "Good Trouble" and "The Fosters" on Freeform, and "Pop-Up Video: Jersey Shore" on VH1.

A Meaningful Tribute

In speaking with Dan's family and several close friends, setting up an endowment in his name to provide scholarships for students in the SUNY Fredonia Writing Program would be a fitting tribute to his legacy. Dan would be so proud that his relentless drive and commitment to his craft will inspire a future generations of writers.

How You Can Help

We are raising funds through direct donations to SUNY Fredonia and via GoFundMe.  We wanted to provide various donation options to make it as simple as possible to donate.  Donating directly to SUNY Fredonia enables you to receive a tax credit for the donation amount.  GoFundMe is quick and easy since you can donate with Apple Pay, PayPal, Google Pay or Venmo but there is no tax credit for the donation.

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If you utilize the link below to donate directly to SUNY Fredonia, simply enter your donation amount and leave the 'Class Year' field blank.

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For donations made via GoFundMe, we will hold all donations until the end of September, 2024 and send to SUNY Fredonia. 

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For those interested, you can also mail a check to SUNY Fredonia:
Fredonia College Foundation
272 Central Ave.
Fredonia, NY 14063
Attn: Dan Richter Memorial Fund

 

All donations will be directed to SUNY Fredonia to establish the Dan Richter Endowment to provide scholarships for students in the SUNY Fredonia Writing Program. This endowment will support and inspire students who share Dan’s passion for writing, ensuring that his spirit and dedication continue to influence future storytellers. The funds raised for the endowment will be invested by SUNY Fredonia and the interest earned each year will support students in perpetuity. In other words, Dan's memory will live on FOREVER in future generations of aspiring writers.

Please join us in celebrating Dan’s extraordinary life and supporting young writers who aspire to make their mark on the world. Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a lasting impact and help carry forward Dan’s legacy of creativity and mentorship.

Thank you for your support and for honoring Dan’s memory in such a meaningful way.

With gratitude,
The Friends and Family of Dan Richter