Priority Three: Champion Faculty

Breadcrumb

Having a strong base of faculty talent is a high priority for Whittier College.

Exceptional and devoted faculty are at the core of the academic fabric and scholarly environment in which Whittier students thrive. 

Endowed Faculty Chairs

Endowed chairs are crucial for recruiting and retaining the highest-quality faculty, attracting the most dynamic and creative teachers and reaffirming the department’s outstanding reputation. These appointments, made by the President, recognize the chosen professor's outstanding academic accomplishments, teaching excellence, and are intended to support future scholarly growth. An endowed chair is the highest academic distinction that Whittier College can bestow on a faculty member. An endowment payout typically supports the faculty member’s salary and benefits and also offers resources for teaching, research, and professional development. 

An endowment naming opportunity is available at the $3,000,000 level.

Faculty Development Life Lab

Currently in the developmental stage, this teaching-and-learning life lab would provide faculty with opportunities for growth and renewal in all realms of their professional lives and throughout all stages of their careers. It will create a campus culture that values equity and inclusion, community building, intellectual inquiry, and scholarly, productive, and creative engagement in its many forms.

An endowment naming opportunity is available at the $5,000,000 level.

Faculty Research Endowed Fund

This fund encourages, promotes, and supports research and scholarly practices of Whittier College faculty. Examples of activities include: traveling to conferences, conventions, and workshops to report research results; equipment and software purchase; funds to enable research, data collection, and writing reports of publications; teaching replacement for load reduction for faculty members pursuing scholarly activities, and others.

An endowment naming opportunity is available at the $3,000,000 level.

Faculty Teaching Excellence Award

This fund provides for meaningful recognition of outstanding professors at Whittier College. Named awards can be funded by donors in honor or in memory of their favorite faculty members. The recipient is chosen by a faculty selection committee. The award can be used at the honoree's discretion to advance their professional work, such as teaching or research activities.

A current use naming opportunity is available at the $10,000 level.

An endowment naming opportunity is available at the $250,000 level.

Future Faculty Teaching Fellowship

Funding from a Future Faculty Teaching Fellowship will prepare future professors by offering two-year terms at Whittier College. The highly-competitive application process will seek to hire post-doc rising stars in academia who will carry the title of Teaching Fellows. Fellows will increase their career preparation by carrying a modest teaching load and participating in faculty life and activities. Additionally, Fellows will host workshops and seminars for current faculty on pedagogical best practices.

A current use naming opportunity is available at the $200,000 level.