A donor who creates an endowed chair with a gift to Manchester University is a trailblazer.

Endowing a chair or professorship creates a permanently funded position at Manchester, and carries prestige for the faculty, the University and the donor. An endowed professorship might be established to hire a scholar to perform groundbreaking research, or create new paths in an academic field.

What does an endowed professorship mean?

• For a professor, it represents a prestigious career achievement.

• For students, it's the promise of studying with a distinguished scholar.

• For the University, it can launch a new field of study or enhance an existing one.

• For you, the donor, it can further an idea or a field you feel passionate about, or provide the means of paying tribute to the personal and professional contributions of a loved one.

Because the endowment for a professorship must cover present and future salary and benefit costs, the amount needed to establish the endowment is significant. But the possibilities are many. An example of an endowed chair currently at Manchester is The Mark E. Johnston Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies, established in memory of an alumnus by his family.

Funding an endowed chair or professorship is a significant step. If you are interested, please contact a development officer in advance to help navigate the process.