Student scholarship endowment honors retiring Dean Firebaugh

Francille Firebaugh, dean of the College of Human Ecology, greets a guest at a reception in her honor in Willard Straight Hall, Sept. 25. Nicola Kountoupes/University Photography

By Susan Lang

To acknowledge the contributions of Francille M. Firebaugh, retiring dean of the College of Human Ecology, alumni, colleagues and friends have endowed a student scholarship of more than $220,000, named in her honor.

The scholarship was announced at a reception honoring Firebaugh on Friday, Sept. 25, in Willard Straight Hall's Memorial Room. More than 425 alumni, friends and colleagues celebrated the tenure of Firebaugh, who has served as dean since 1988. Friday's event kicked off a series of farewell celebrations scheduled between now and her official retirement in May 1999.

After a speech by President Hunter Rawlings, Lucinda Noble, president of the Human Ecology Alumni Association, presented Firebaugh with a certificate renaming the endowed Human Ecology Alumni Association Undergraduate Scholarship Fund, the Francille M. Firebaugh Alumni Scholarship. Then Martha Ohaus, Human Ecology Advancement Committee chair, and Joan Ferreira, committee
member, announced that alumni, friends and colleagues of the dean had added more than $220,000 to the scholarship.

Income from the endowed scholarship will be used to support a deserving undergraduate student in the College of Human Ecology.

Under Firebaugh's leadership, the first two endowed professorships in the college and the interdisciplinary Bronfenbrenner Life Course Center were established and the Family Life Development Center was consolidated into a collegewide center.

Firebaugh also was instrumental in fostering a greater sense of community among the faculty and students with a variety of activities, and she helped launch a master plan for facilities that support the college's commitment to teaching, research and outreach endeavors.