Willamette Stories

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Three Faculty Members Share Their Thoughts on Endowed Professorships

“I have always believed that the strength of Willamette is its faculty. I think endowed chairs have been an important contribution to that tradition.”
– Lane McGaughy, George H. Atkinson Professor of Religious and Ethical Studies

“Endowed positions provide faculty with the resources to pursue new ideas and provide the university with resources to leverage the development of entirely new programs. More programs can be created that push teaching beyond its traditional limits, involve students in the field and bring more of the world onto the Willamette campus.”
– Laura Leete, Fred Paulus Director of the Public Policy Research Center

“Endowed professorships allow Willamette to attract outstanding teacher-scholars and artists to our community and to retain them. They also make it possible to enhance the quality and diversity of the academic curriculum without imposing intolerable tuition burdens on students. It’s not surprising that the number of endowed faculty positions is one of the main indicators of institutional quality.”
– G. Frederick Thompson Jr., Elmer and Grace Goudy Professor of Public Management and Policy Analysis