Endowed Professorships
The Cyrus H.K. Curtis Professorship
This endowed professorship, which recognizes excellence in research, honors well-known Philadelphia publisher and philanthropist Cyrus H.K. Curtis, founder of the Curtis Publishing Co. As president of Curtis-Martin Newspapers, he oversaw several nationally recognized publications, such as Ladies’ Home Journal and the New York Evening Post. In addition to publishing, Curtis held directorships at the First National Bank of Philadelphia and Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York. He was known for his charitable donations to medical, cultural and educational institutions, including Temple University.
The Joseph E. Boettner Chair
Risk Management & Insurance
This distinguished professorship in risk management and insurance is funded by an endowment created in 1966 by friends of Joseph E. Boettner. The endowment also provides student scholarships and helped establish an MBA concentration in this area. A chartered life insurance underwriter, Boettner gained widespread recognition as a specialist in estate planning. As president of the Philadelphia Life Insurance Company and director of several firms in the Greater Philadelphia region, he was highly regarded as a perceptive, imaginative, honest and unselfish leader. He was an honorary member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the national business honors society.
The Elmer R. Deaver Professorship
Risk Management & Insurance
The Elmer R. Deaver Foundation established, in perpetuity, scholarships, awards and a professorship in the area of risk management and insurance. Deaver was a founder and CEO of Quaker City Life Insurance, an industrial insurance company that provided affordable idemnity policies for working people, particularly minorities. Reflecting his focus as a benefactor on helping those who had helped his company grow and prosper, the Deaver Foundation provides many need-based scholarships for students at Temple University and at colleges and universities throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.
The Walter D. & Mae S. Fuller Chair
Finance
Mae S. Fuller established the Fuller Chair in Economics in memory of her husband, Walter D. Fuller, chairman of the Curtis Publishing Company for nearly 50 years and a trustee of Temple University. He actively supported educational and cultural endeavors and served the business community regionally and nationally in executive positions, including president of the National Association of Manufacturers and member of the Advisory Committee on Social Security. This distinguished professorship is evident of Mae Fuller’s farsighted generosity and a lasting tribute to her husband’s outstanding achievements in business and admirable record of service to Temple University and the larger community.
The Dorothy S. Washburn Chair
Marketing & International Business
Established by AF Lieutenant Colonel and Fox School alumna (BS ’31, MBA ’50) Dorothy S. Washburn, the Washburn Chair in Marketing enhances the quality of teaching and scholarship at The Fox School. Her bequest evokes memories of a remarkable individual whose outstanding military service was matched by her civic leadership and volunteerism. She held management, logistics, and procurement positions in several branches of the military, receiving four outstanding service awards from the Army and five from the Air Force. She served her alma mater as a member of the Board of Managers of the Business School and the Board of the General Alumni Association.
The Stanley Merves Chair
Accouting & Information Technology
The Merves Chair in Accounting and Information Technology is endowed by alumnus Stanley Merves (BS ’51), CPA. Merves was founder and senior partner of Merves & Company. His successful business career has included positions at Price Waterhouse, the IRS, The Franklin Mint, and partnerships in several investment and technology firms. He has played leading roles in professional, civic and charitable associations, and his philanthropy extends well beyond the greater Philadelphia region. He is a member of the Temple University Accounting Alumni Hall of Fame and recipient of the 1999 Musser Award for Alumni Achievement. Mr. Merves received Temple University’s Conwell Society Award in 2002.
The Laura H. Carnell Professorships
Established in 1985 by the Temple University Board of Trustees, Carnell professorships recognize faculty who have distinguished themselves in research, scholarship, the creative arts and teaching. They honor Temple University’s first dean, Laura H. Carnell, who worked alongside founder Russell H. Conwell from 1893 until his death in 1925, most of that time as Temple’s chief administrator. Known for her tremendous energy, dedication and compassion, she was a prudent manager and innovative leader who helped thousands of students make a better life for themselves and their families.