A gift from the Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte Foundation of Austin established five endowed chairs at Texas State, including the Mitte Chair in Creative Writing in the Department of English. The Chair is held each year by an award-winning writer of international distinction.  Current Mitte Chair is novelist Denis Johnson. Others have included novelists Tim O'Brien, Barry Hannah, and Leslie Marmon Silko, and the poet Ai.

From the Fulbright Award to the National Book Award, faculty in the College of Liberal Arts are gaining widespread recognition and developing international reputations through their fine scholarship. At the same time, they have special needs for research program support and equipment not covered by state funds.

You can ensure that we continue to recruit and retain outstanding researchers and teachers through your investment in an endowed faculty position—an endowed chair, endowed professorship, or endowed faculty fellowship. When you decide to endow a faculty position, the University Development Foundation will work with you to establish and name the position and to designate the department or program where it will be housed. Endowments are invested by the Texas State Development Foundation for maximum return of income within the approved guidelines of the Board of Regents. The endowment remains intact, and only interest is used for the award. A portion of the interest is reinvested in the fund to enable it to grow.

Faculty support endowments include:

• Endowed Chairs—awarded to deans, department chairs, and superior faculty to enhance their scholarly efforts and research.
  Minimum funding: $1,500,000 to $2,000,000
• Endowed Professorships—awarded to outstanding faculty members to reward and enhance scholarly efforts.
  Minimum funding: $500,000 to $600,000
• Endowed Faculty Fellowships—funds that support excellent teaching and research faculty regardless of rank or tenure, including visiting scholars in residence.
  Minimum funding: $200,000

View a complete list of Endowed Faculty Positions in the College of Liberal Arts, and read more about Liberal Arts faculty accomplishments.

Endowments can be funded with cash, marketable securities, real estate, life insurance, bequests, or retirement plans. For more information and to fund an endowment, please contact:

Elizabeth Denton
College of Liberal Arts Development Officer
Edenton@txstate.edu
(512) 245-8215 or toll free (800) 687-6214