Through the generosity of its alumni and friends, Cornell has had remarkable success during the current academic year in endowing new faculty positions in a variety of disciplines.
Since July 1, 1997, the university has received $13.7 million for nine new professorships and more than $1.7 million in support of professorships established in previous years.
"These endowments help build Cornell's intellectual breadth and vitality and guarantee the long-term strength of our faculty," said Cornell President Hunter Rawlings. "No more significant investment could be made in the future of the university."
The recent endowments continue the high level of support for Cornell and its programs exemplified by the recent successful Capital Campaign.
"We are thankful for the continued and vigorous support of our loyal alumni and friends," said Inge Reichenbach, vice president for alumni affairs and development. "Great institutions remain great by virtue of such outstanding commitment."
Many of the new endowments are part of larger gifts by the donors to help support university programs, buildings and staff.
The Dorothea S. Clarke Professor of Law, to be awarded to a law professor who has achieved distinction in a field relevant to women and the law, and the Jack G. Clarke Professor of Law, to be held by an expert in international and comparative law, were endowed by a fund established by Jack and Dorothea Clarke, LLB '52.
The Marjorie L. Hart Chair of Engineering was endowed by Marjorie L. Hart '50 to offer enduring support to the academic strength of the college, to encourage the continuity of its strong commitments to excellence in teaching and to promote the personal and professional development of the students and faculty.
The Howard A. Newman Professorship in American Studies was created in the College of Arts and Sciences after Howard A. Newman '42 added to an earlier endowment he had established in 1986. The chair is intended for "someone who is open and flexible, and teaches a broad range of American experience," Newman has said. It will be the American Studies Program's first endowed professorship.
The Frank H.T. Rhodes Distinguished Professorship in Cardiovascular Biology and Genetics at the Cornell Medical College was endowed by Stephen H. Weiss '57, immediate past chairman of the board of trustees. The chair is named for Cornell President Emeritus Frank H.T. Rhodes.
The O. Wayne Isom M.D. Professorship at the medical college was endowed by David and Jean Wallace through the Robert R. Young Foundation. The chair is named in honor of the current chairman of the college's Department of Cardiovascular Surgery.
The Thomas H. Meikle Jr. Professorship in Medical Education at the medical college was endowed through a gift from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation. Meikle was a former dean of the college as well as a retired president of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.
The Arthur B. Belfer Professorship in Genetic Medicine was endowed through a gift from the children of the late Arthur and Rochelle Belfer, for a distinguished faculty member at the medical college in human genetics and gene therapy.
In addition to these recent professorship endowments, two important endowed positions were filled in January, after approval by the board of trustees.
Vicki Caron, associate professor of history, was named the Diann G. and Thomas A. Mann Professor of Modern Jewish Studies, which was established through an endowment by the Manns (Diann '66 and Thomas '64) to support the study and teaching of the relevance of Jewish culture, broadly defined, to the modern world.
And Christopher W. Clark, the senior scientist who heads the Bioacoustics Research Program at Cornell, was named the Imogene Powers Johnson Senior Scientist. The position was funded by an endowment from the S.C. Johnson family in honor of the longtime supporter of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's education and conservation efforts.
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