Endowed Chairs

Morris B. Belknap, Jr. Chair in Fine Arts, founded in 1954, through a bequest of Morris B. Belknap Jr., of Louisville, Kentucky. Incumbent: Vacant.

Julia Parmly Billings Chair in Child and Family Studies, endowed in 1919, by Elizabeth Billings of New York City, in memory of her mother. Incumbent: Keila Thomas, Professor of Child and Family Studies.

Robert Charles Billings Chair in Education, founded in 1903, by Robert Charles Billings of Boston, Massachusetts. Incumbent: Kathryn Akural, Professor of Education Studies.

Clarence M. Clark Chair in Mountain Agriculture, founded in 1920 by Clarence M. Clark of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Incumbent: Michael Panciera, Associate Professor of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Susan V. Clayton Chair in Nursing, endowed in 1967 by Will L. Clayton and his daughters in memory of Mrs. Will L. Clayton. Incumbent: Pamela Farley, Professor of Nursing.

Compton Chair of Ecological Design, endowed in 2000 through a gift from the Compton Foundation designed to provide expertise and leadership for teaching concepts of sustainability and for campus-wide progress toward sustainable practice. Incumbent: William Jason Coomes, Assistant Professor of Sustainability and Environmental Studies.

Julian-Van Dusen Chair in American History, established in 1953 through bequests of William A. Julian, Washington, D.C., former Trustee, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Van Dusen, Detroit, Michigan. Incumbent: Gordon McKinney, Professor of History.

Goode Professorship in Black or Appalachian Studies, endowed in 1988 by Dorothy Goode and Dr. Roland Goode of Virginia. Incumbant: Chad Berry, Associate Professor of History.

William R. Gruver Chair in Leadership Studies, established in support of the Entrepreneurship for the Public Good Program which seeks to integrate entrepreneurial and leadership theory and put these concepts into practice in the Appalachian region. Incumbent: Daniel N. Huck, Associate Professor of General Studies.

William J. Hutchins Alumni Chair, established in 1959 by the bequest of William J. Hutchins, President Emeritus, and the gifts of William H. Danforth and many alumni. Incumbent: Vacant.

Charles F. Kettering Chair in Science, founded in 1959, by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation of Yellow Springs, Ohio. Incumbent: Ralph Thompson, Professor of Biology.

Eli Lilly Chair in Religion, endowed in 1972 by Mr. and Mrs. Eli Lilly of Indianapolis, Indiana, as an integral part of the Campus Christian Center and designed to strengthen and unify the intellectual and Christian purposes of the College. Incumbent: Michelle Tooley, Associate Professor of Religion.

Foster G. McGaw Chair in Nursing, established in 1972 by Mr. and Mrs. Foster McGaw, founder of American Hospital Supply Corporation. Incumbent: Vacant.

Francis Alexander McGaw Chair in Religion, established in 1972 by Mr. and Mrs. Foster McGaw of Evanston, Illinois, in memory of Mr. McGaw’s father, a minister in the Appalachian Mountains and missionary to Africa. Incumbent: Robert Suder, Professor of Religion.

Mary W. McGaw Chair in Music, endowed in 1972 by Mr. and Mrs. Foster McGaw, Mrs. McGaw, a musician, considered the arts to be an important aspect of liberal education. Incumbent: Robert Lewis, Professor of Music.

W. George Matton Chair in Business, endowed in 1971 by a bequest from W.G. Matton of Louisville, Kentucky. Incumbent: Patricia Isaacs, Professor of Economics and Business.

W. George Matton Chair in Economics, endowed in 1971 by a bequest from W.G. Matton of Louisville, Kentucky. Incumbent: Clifford Sowell, Professor of Economics.

Bradford and Christine Miller Mishler Art Chair, established in 2004 by a bequest from Christine Miller Mishler of Bradbury, California. Incumbent: Vacant.

William and Kay Moore Chair of Entrepreneurship and Management, endowed in 1999 by a gift from William T. Moore Jr., Berea Alumnus from the class of 1945, to provide leadership for the Entrepreneurship for the Public Good Program and entrepreneurial expertise for the Department of Business and Economics. Incumbent: Peter H. Hackbert, Professor of General Studies.

National Endowment for the Humanities Chair in Appalachian Studies, established in 1997 through a matching-funds endowment grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to provide greater support for faculty research in Appalachian Studies and for the integration of regional materials into the classroom. Incumbent: William H. Turner.

Henry Mixter Penniman Chair in Philosophy, founded in 1920, by Henry D. Woods of Newton, Massachusetts. Incumbent: Robert Hoag, Professor of Philosophy.

Nathaniel Southgate Shaler Memorial Chairs in Geology and Chemistry, founded by graduates of Harvard University in memory of Dr. Nathaniel Southgate Shaler, former professor of Geology at Harvard. Incumbent: Vacant.

Chester D. Tripp Chair in Humanities, established in 1974 through the bequest of Chester D. Tripp of Chicago, Illinois. Incumbent: Richard Sears, Professor of English.

Carter G. Woodson Chair in Negro History, established in 1972 by Mr. and Mrs. Foster McGaw of Evanston, Illinois, in memory of Dr. Carter Woodson, Berea alumnus and founder of the “Journal of Negro History.” Incumbent: Dwayne Mack, Associate Professor of History.

Mabel D. Worth Chair in Science, established in 2007 through a bequest from W. Leslie and Mabel D. Worth of Sun City, Arizona. Incumbent: Ron Rosen, Professor of Biology.

W. Leslie Worth Chair in Science, established in 2007 through a bequest from W. Leslie and Mabel D. Worth of Sun City, Arizona. Incumbent: Amer Lahamer, Professor of Physics.