Dr. Ernest G. Atkin

Colonel Ernest G. Atkin, Jr. and his wife, Fern Albert Atkin, endowed this fund in 1999 to memorialize Col. Atkin’s father, Dr. Ernest G. Atkin. Dr. Atkin was a romance language professor at the University of Florida from 1927-1950 and the chair of the Department of Foreign Languages. The fund supports research, teaching and academic programs in romance languages, with preference given to French programs.

Col. Atkin (USMC, deceased), commonly known as Slim Atkin, earned his bachelor’s degree from UF in 1939 and was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity. Upon graduation, he was awarded a teaching fellowship in France but was unable to attend with war looming. He then studied at the UF School of Law until the outbreak of war. Both Col. and Mrs. Atkin served in World War II. Later, while Col. Atkin was serving in Korea, his wife and daughter lived with Dr. & Mrs. Atkin in Gainesville.