Whittier College has announced its 2026 endowed chair recipients, recognizing distinguished faculty in art and visual studies, history, and sociology.
“Our endowed chair recipients reflect the depth and breadth of scholarship at Whittier College,” said Gil Gonzalez, dean of faculty. “Each brings significant expertise to their field and creates meaningful opportunities for students in the classroom.”
Daniel Jauregui, Richard and Billie Deihl Distinguished Chair
Professor of Art Daniel Jauregui has been named the Richard and Billie Deihl Distinguished Chair. Established in 1993 by Richard Deihl ’49 and his wife, Billie Beane Deihl ’50, the endowed chair provides funds to support a distinguished scholar.
Jauregui holds an MFA from the University of California, San Diego, and a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and completed a residency at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. He teaches photography, drawing, and digital media at Whittier and is a Los Angeles-based artist whose work spans painting, drawing, photography, and sculpture. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at venues including The Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego; Estacion Tijuana; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); Bowdoin Museum; the Museo Ruffino Tamayo; The Power Plant in Toronto; and the Samuel Freeman Gallery in Los Angeles. His work is also held in numerous private and public collections.
Elizabeth Sage, Hazel Cooper Jordan Chair in Arts and Humanities
Professor of History Elizabeth Sage has been named the Hazel Cooper Jordan Chair in Arts and Humanities. Established in 2008 by Chester McCloskey ’40 and his wife, Olive ’44, the chair honors the memory of Olive’s mother, Hazel Cooper Jordan.
Sage holds a PhD from the University of Chicago and a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles. She teaches courses in modern European history; ancient, medieval, and early modern European history; world history; and theory. Her professional interests include nineteenth- and twentieth-century European social and cultural history with a focus on France; urban history, street life, and graffiti; labor history; socialism and revolutionary movements; gender history and theory; historiography; and microhistory.
sal johnston, C. Wright Mills Chair in Sociology
Professor of Sociology sal johnston is the C. Wright Mills Chair in Sociology. Established in 2018 through a bequest from the estate of the late Professor Emeritus Les Howard ’62, the chair supports putting sociological theory into practice within a local or international community, promoting social justice, particularly for the disenfranchised, and using the resources of the appointment for student-centered activities.
johnston holds an MS and PhD from the University of Oregon and a BS from Grand Valley State University. He focuses on ecological, social, and economic sustainability. His current research projects emphasize praxis, linking scholarly analysis to concrete social change, and his teaching includes courses focused on sociological theory, social change, power and politics, and sustainable food systems.
