At a retirement dinner for Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III Saturday night, officials announced that a new fellowship to encourage religious life on campus would be established in his name.

The dinner, which drew about 120 people to Loeb House, the headquarters of the Harvard Corporation, was attended by Epps' family, University officials and faculty members, including President Neil L. Rudenstine, Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 and Warburg Professor of Economics, Emeritus, John Kenneth Galbraith.

Also in attendance were a number of students and alumni who have been especially touched by Epps during his 36-year tenure in University Hall.

Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Minister in Memorial Church Peter J. Gomes served as master of ceremonies.

According to Susan T. Cooke, coordinator of student activities, the Epps Fellowship will fund a seminarian--a religious leader in training who is not necessarily Christian--to work to encourage spirituality in the College community.

"[The seminarian] does not have to be affiliated with the Divinity School," she said.

"They just have to have a love of the College and an interest in Memorial Church and strengthening the bond between the church and the College," Cooke added.

The endowment for the fellowship, hoped to total $250,000, will be funded by donations from many individuals Epps has known and worked with, Cooke said. The position will first be filled for the 2000-01 school year.

Epps said yesterday that he was very moved by the creation of the fellowship.

"I very much appreciate the effort to establish an endowment for an Epps fellow because it will provide a religious base on faith and ethics for undergraduates," he said.

"I feel carried on many shoulders by the effort to celebrate my legacy and work and I'm very moved by everything," Epps added.