The Story of 20 Years with Feridun Alpay

To celebrate the 20th year of our university, we have prepared a set of four questions to ask faculty and administrative personnel who have been with us since the beginning, and to our first students. They all tell "the story of 20 years" from their own perspectives.

Going in alphabetical order, this week's interviewee for "The Story of 20 Years" is Feridun Alpay.

Feridun Alpay has been a member of Sabancı University since July 15, 1998. He has been the Director of the Karaköy Contact Office of Sabancı University for 22 years.

Feridun Alpay’s answers to our four questions are below.

What was your initial memory / impression of when you met Sabancı University for the first time?

F.A: Foundational work for the university had begun in 1998 at the Karaköy Contact Office. I joined the university in July of 1998. At the time, the late Tosun (Terzioğlu) Bey was President, and the late Hüsnü (Paçacıoğlu) Bey was Secretary-General.

Everybody did their part in those busy days. The building was home to 120 faculty members doing all sorts of preparation, and the meeting halls, storerooms, and even the galleries to the sides of the foyer were being used as offices.

I remember people assigned to cubicles in storerooms or the foyer, or to windowless rooms, coming up to me to ask, "When can I move to a room with windows?"

Air-conditioning was barely available as it was a historical building. The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at the time was Kemal İnan. He was assigned to a room that would get a lot of sun in the summer. One day, I went into his room to find him working at his desk, bare-chested.

We built this university by working against the odds at every turn.

What are the differences between yourself 20 years ago and yourself today, and how did Sabancı University contribute to that change?

F.A: Working with outstanding Presidents, Secretary-Generals, faculty and administrative personnel over twenty years made great contributions to my way of working and view of the world. It was an exhilarating experience to play a part in the establishment of one of Turkey's best foundation universities.

What comes into your mind when you think of Sabancı University in 20 years? What are your dreams for Sabancı University for the next 20 years? What about yourself?

F.A: In 20 years, I believe Sabancı University will be the highest-achieving foundation university in Turkey that is in full accord with the requirements of the time.

As for me, assuming I'm alive back then, I will be an old man proud to be a founder of such a university.

Where and how would you be now if your paths hadn't crossed with Sabancı University?

F.A: If I hadn't joined Sabancı University, I probably would have become the marketing or sales director of a commercial company. But I am sure I wouldn't be as happy or peaceful in my life.