Biography
Ralph Strohl earned his PhD in the History of Religions from the University of Chicago Divinity School, where he studied ninth-century Jain literature, including the Ādi Purāṇa. After a successful career in university advancement, including leadership roles in major campaigns at UChicago, he retired in 2016 and rejoined the intellectual community as a Returning Scholar (RS).
He has since returned to his roots in Sanskrit, enrolling in intermediate and advanced courses to support independent research on Jain rituals and pilgrimage. Ralph is also exploring the cultural and symbolic dimensions of baseball as a civic ritual, blending his academic training with personal curiosity. For Ralph, the RS Program is a joyful invitation to lifelong learning in community.