The Jo M. and James M. Ballengee 250th Anniversary Professorship was created in 1999 in honor of Washington and Lee’s bicenquinquagenary celebration. Mr. Ballengee was a member of the Law Class of 1948 and was a Rector Emeritus of the Board of Trustees.
Endowed Professorships in the College
The Robert O. and Elizabeth M. Bentley Professorship in Science, established in 2009 by Elizabeth M. Bentley in honor and memory of Robert O. Bentley, Jr., Class of 1926 Law, is a permanently endowed fund at Washington and Lee University providing support for a faculty member in science.
The Thomas H. Broadus Jr. Professorship was created in 1999 in Mr. Broadus’ honor and memory by his wife, Elizabeth H. Broadus of Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. Broadus was a member of the Class of 1959 and a member of W&L’s Board of Trustees from 1990 to 1998.
The J. Donald Childress Professorship in Foreign Languages, established in 2008, supports a distinguished professor who is both an accomplished scholar and exceptional teacher in one of the foreign languages offered in the College, preferably Spanish.
The Sidney Gause Childress Professorship in the Arts , established in 2008, supports a distinguished professor who is both an accomplished scholar and an exceptional teacher in one of the departments in the visual or performing arts in the College, preferably art, with a further preference for art history.
The Cincinnati Professorship recognizes the gift of the Society of the Cincinnati of Virginia to Washington Academy, a predecessor institution to Washington and Lee University. The Society, a group of former officers of the Continental Army, influenced by George Washington’s gift to the Academy, voted in 1802 to turn over its assets to the school, a gift that helped the institution survive.
The Jessie Ball duPont Professorship in Religion was established in 1983 by the Jessie Ball duPont Religious, Charitable and Educational Fund in memory of Mrs. DuPont and in recognition of her support of higher education.
The Henry S. Fox Jr. Professorship was established in 1956 under the will of Mrs. Mamie Fox Twyman Martel of Houston in memory of her brother, Henry S. Fox Jr., Class of 1894.
The John T. Herwick, M.D., Professorship in Biology was created 2008 by Dr. John T. Herwick, W&L Class of 1936, and his wife, Mary T. Herwick, as a memorial to Oscar E. and Edith D. Herwick, Dr. Herwick's parents. The donors' gift honors William Dana Hoyt, Ph.D., W&L professor of biology from 1920 to 1945, who was Dr. Herwick's professor from 1932 to 1936.
The John T. Herwick, M.D. Professorship in Chemistry was created in 2008 by Dr. John T. Herwick, Class of 1936, and his wife, Mary T. Herwick, as a memorial to Mrs. Herwick's parents, Charles M. and Isabelle Thrasher. The donors' gift honors Lucius Junius Desha, professor of chemistry from 1920 to 1955, who was Dr. Herwick's teacher from 1933 to 1936 in analytic and organic chemistry.
The Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. Professorship in the College, established in 2010, supports a distinguished professor in the College of Arts and Sciences whose scholarship and teaching are driven by an interest in how individuals and ideas shape the course of history. The professorship is endowed by a gift from Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. '62.
The S. Blount Mason Jr. Professorship was established in 1973 in memory of Mr. Mason, Class of 1905, a Baltimore insurance executive, who died in 1969. The endowment for the chair came from trusts created by Mr. Mason and his wife to benefit, after their deaths, certain charities in which they were interested.
The Edwin A. Morris Professorship was established in 1993 by a grant from Edwin A. Morris ’26 of Greensboro, N.C. Mr. Morris was the chairman and chief executive officer of Blue Bell, Inc. of Greensboro.
The Elizabeth Lewis Otey Professorship in East Asian Studies was established in 1994 under the will of Elizabeth Otey Watson in memory of her mother. The endowment provides support to a distinguished member of the faculty, using the Reeves Center and Watson Pavilion collections as an integral component of teaching responsibilities and academic research.
The Ruth Parmly Professorship was established in 1986 in memory and honor of Ruth Parmly and in recognition of the magnificent gift she made in her estate to Washington and Lee University.
The William E. Pritchard III '80 Professorship in Earth and Environmental Geoscience, established in 2010, supports a distinguished professor who is an accomplished scholar and exceptional teacher in the Geology Department at Washington & Lee University.
The Donald W. Reynolds Professorship in Business Journalism was established in 1999 by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. The professorship supports a program linking courses in the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics and the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications, as well as introductory and capstone courses in business journalism.
The Pamela H. Simpson Professorship supports a distinguished undergraduate professor who is an accomplished scholar and exceptional teacher at Washington, and Lee University.
The Robert Lee Telford Professorship was established in 1991 by the estate gift of Robert Lee Telford of Naples, Florida, Class of 1922. The principal supporting the professorial endowment is in the form of a trust held by others.
The Fletcher Otey Thomas Professorship in Bible was established in 1977 in memory of Mr. Thomas, a lifelong resident of Bedford County, Virginia, by his sons, John Newton Thomas of Richmond, Class of 1924, Rector Emeritus of the University Board of Trustees, and the late William O. Thomas of Bedford, Class of 1931.
The Abigail Grigsby Urquhart '11 Term Professorship, established in 2007-2008 by her parents A. William and Mary Urquhart, is a permanently endowed fund at Washington and Lee University providing support for a University faculty member who is judged to be excellent in teaching and in professional contributions.
The Ernest Williams II Professorship was established by an endowment gift in 1992 by Ernest Williams II, Class of 1938, and by Mr. Williams' wife, Marjorie O. Williams. Pamela Simpson was the inaugural Williams Professor of Art History until her death in 2011.
The Harry E. and Mary Jayne W. Redenbaugh Term Professorship, established in 2008 by Mary Jayne Redenbaugh in honor and memory of Harry E. Redenbaugh, Class of 1939A, is a permanently endowed fund at Washington and Lee University providing support for a faculty member without regard to department in the College or the Williams School.
The John Lucian Smith, Jr. Memorial Term Professorship, established in 2010 with leadership gifts of Bernard C. 'Ben' Grigsby II '72 and Marshall B. Miller, Jr. '71 and with the generous support of other friends of John Lucian Smith, Jr. is a permanently endowed fund at Washington and Lee University.