Jay F. W. Pearson was a marine biologist and university administrator.

A charter faculty member of the University of Miami

University of Miami

The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...

 as a marine biologist. President Ashe recruited Pearson from the University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...

. As one of Ashe's longtime assistants, Pearson was positioned to succeed Ashe as President when Ashe died in 1952. Pearson ushered in a decade of growth for UM. During his presidency, UM awarded its first doctorate degrees and ended racial segregation. Enrollment increased by more than 4,000 during his tenure, which ended in 1962. Pearson was named Chancellor after retiring as President.

Pearson was initiated as an honorary member of the Beta Tau chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...

music fraternity in 1953. The University of Miami honored Pearson by naming scholarships for transfer students after him. When UM built a new residence hall in 1962, it was named for Pearson.