At a faculty meeting Nov. 17, Academic Dean Adrienne Israel, announced six new endowed chairs. The professors honored were: Frank. P. Keegan, Raymond Binford Professor of Biology; Jonathan W. Malino, John A. Weissenfluh Professor of Ethics and Religion; Kathrynn A. (Kathy) Adams, Charles A. Dana Professor of psychology; Jeff Jeske, Charles A. Dana Professor of English, Lynn J. Moseley, Charles A. Dana Professor of Biology; and Carolyn Beard Whitlow, Charles A. Dana professor of English.

An endowed chair is the highest honor for a Guilford professor, according to Israel. “It boosts that professor’s salary somewhat, but it also indicates a permanent commitment to that person and to their work at the college.”

Professors chosen for this honor are done so by nomination of the academic deanl. Professors with current endowed chairs also decide who to nominate and the president confirms it.

Scholarship, professional growth, service, advising, and teaching are criteria for choosing the nominees, said Israel, as well as “(being) someone that the college considers to exemplify the ideals we want to promote.”

“These people really represent the best of our faculty although there are other people who are excellent as well, said Israel.”I’m sure there are others who are equally good – it was very hard to pick,”
Endowed chairs are made possible through donations, usually from a foundation. The donations are kept in a fund strictly for the professorships.

All universities and colleges have professors with endowed chairs.
Israel announced the news to the professors individually before making a public announcement at the faculty meeting because she didn’t want to overwhelm the recipients.

Psychology professor and Early College liaison Kathy Adams, one of the newly honored professors, said the news was “unexpected” and “I am in great company,” speaking of the other recipients.

Carolyn Beard Whitlow, professor of English said she is planning to celebrate with her two daughters and felt “surprised, honored and elated” upon hearing the news.

Malino expressed similar feelings of surprise and said Guilford’s success is based on the hard work of faculty members that is “well beyond the expected amount.”

Israel said, ‘I want to be sure the college community understands how many really outstanding people I feel we have in our community. Small colleges like Guilford could not exist without the service of the faculty.”