The Importance of Endowments

J. Keith Behner and Catherine M. Stiefel Chair of Brazilian Studies Endowment

Supported by prominent philanthropists and SDSU alumni Keith Behner (political science ‘71) and Catherine Stiefel (accountancy ‘92), the J. Keith Behner and Catherine M. Stiefel Chair of Brazilian Studies significantly strengthens the impact of the SDSU Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies.

Back to Top

James J. Stansell Classics Endowment

James J. Stansell graduated from SDSU in 1980 with a degree in classics and humanities. He went on to teach Latin at La Jolla High School for many years and was beloved by students. Mr. Stansell’s gift will support a new professorship. 

Stepsay Family Endowed Postdoctoral Fellowship in Classics

David Stepsay graduated from the Department of Classics and Humanities with a major in classics at the age of 55. A retired member of the civil service, David commuted four days a week from his home in Los Angeles to study Greek and Latin at SDSU. Upon his death, at the age of 87, Stepsay’s final act of philanthropy was the endowment of a fellowship for the study of classics at SDSU, which was designed for freshly minted Ph.D.s in classical philology to spend up to two years at SDSU teaching courses related to the study of the classical world, including Greek or Latin.

The Friends of Classics and Barbara Schuch Endowed Postdoctoral Fellowship in Digital Classics and Humanities

Barbara Schuch was a local school teacher and administrator by profession with a passion for classic literature and poetry. She was a member of the Friends of Classics — a group that has supported SDSU’s classics program for 25 years. An estate gift from Barbara and gifts from the Friends of Classics established this endowed postdoc position. The postdoc offers the successful candidate a unique platform for professional advancement in the form of financial and material support for independent research combined with the opportunity to collaborate with the faculty of one of SDSU’s signature programs.

Back to Top

The Henry N. Wood Endowment for the Department of Economics

Established by economics alumnus Henry Wood (‘99), the endowment provides support for faculty research including travel expenses to present at conferences.

Back to Top

Bowman English and Comparative Literature Endowment

Eugene S. Bowman attended San Diego State University (at the time San Diego State College) in 1942. Eugene’s letters from World War II are memorialized in SDSU Library’s World War II Servicemen's Correspondence Collection. Eugene and his wife Barbara established the Bowman English and Comparative Literature Endowment to support faculty in the Department of English and Comparative Literature. 

Dan McLeod College of Arts and Letters Faculty Excellence Endowment

Dan McLeod graduated from San Diego State University in 1955 from the College of Education. He is a faculty emeritus of SDSU’s Department of English , where he taught from 1963 through 1998. McLeod established the Dan McLeod College of Arts and Letters Faculty Excellence Endowment to support the Department of English and Comparative Literature, specifically in the recruitment and retention of excellent faculty.

Pitt and Virginia Warner English Department Endowment

College of Arts and Letters alumni Pitt (sociology ‘69) and Virginia (English ‘52) established the Pitt and Virginia Warner English Department Endowment to support a faculty member for outstanding innovation in scholarship, teaching, or programmatic development in the Department of English and Comparative Literature.

Back to Top

The Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation Endowed Chair in Geographical Studies

The Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation was established in 1939. Stephen Birch founded Kennecott Copper Corp. in the early 1900s. The Birch Endowed Chair was created through the Birch Foundation’s grant to the Department of Geography to endow a chair and create a Center for Earth Systems Analysis Research.

Back to Top

Baron Ethics Endowment

This endowment provides support for part-time faculty to teach ethics courses in the College of Arts and Letters.

Stanford Endowed Chair 

Dwight E. Stanford graduated from SDSU (at the time San Diego State College) in 1936 with a bachelor's degree in history. A well-known figure in San Diego, Stanford served as President of Balboa University,an attorney and a business and community leader. At SDSU, Stanford was active in the SDSU Alumni Association, having served as director and as the chair of the Planned Giving Committee in 1987-88. Dwight and his wife Fran cemented their legacy at SDSU by endowing the Dwight E. Stanford Chair in American Foreign Relations, which will make a long-lasting difference in the ability of the SDSU Department of History to compete for scholars and students.

USS Midway Chair in Modern U.S. Military History Endowment

Established by the USS Midway Foundation in 2019, the USS Midway Chair in modern U.S. military history advances research, teaching, and public engagement in the areas of modern military, naval, and maritime history; the histories of war, statecraft, and national security policy; military technology; war and society; military combat operations, military humanitarian operations; post-war reconciliation; the lives of combatants, veterans, survivors; and public memory.

Back to Top

Nasatir Endowed Chair

The Nasatir Professorship was established in honor of the late Professor Abraham Nasatir, a specialist in European colonial history in North America. Nasatir taught history at SDSU for 46 years and was active in the community as an advocate of Jewish education.

Back to Top

Bruce E. Porteous Endowed Professorship in Political Science

Bruce E. Porteous (1916-2012) graduated from San Diego State University (then San Diego State College) in 1949 with a degree in Sociology. He taught at Herbert Hoover High School from 1954 until his retirement in 1976. The Bruce E. Porteous Endowed Professorship in Political Science was established through a gift from his estate, and is awarded by the Department of Political Science in recognition of a Professor's contributions to the department's mission. It provides funding to support teaching, scholarly, and outreach activities.

Fred J. Hansen Peace Chair

Fred J. Hansen immigrated to the United States from Denmark at the age of ten, settling in the San Diego area in the early twentieth century. He was a successful businessman and among the first developers of large avocado orchards in the region. Hansen designated a portion of his estate to create a foundation that promotes a vision of world peace through joint projects, respectful engagement, problem-solving, education, and social science research.

Back to Top

Back to Top

Endowed Chair for Urban Studies

High school sweethearts Daryl Skorepa ('71) and his wife Andrea Skorepa ('71) dedicated their professional careers to growing and connecting healthy communities. The Skorepas believe in the power of higher education, and recently established a Chair in Urban Studies within the College of Arts and Letters through a planned gift. They know future generations will be able to thrive via the design of more sustainable, diverse and inclusive cities.

Back to Top

J. Keith Behner and Catherine M. Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies

SDSU alumni Keith Behner (political science ‘71) and Catherine Stiefel (accountancy ‘92) are champions of numerous education and environmental-related organizations. In 2015, Behner and Stiefel created an endowment to support the nascent Brazilian Studies program. The SDSU Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies is the university’s first endowed academic program with an international focus.

Back to Top

Mahatma Gandhi Endowment

Professor emeritus of economics and Asian Studies, M.C. Madhavan, established the Mahatma Gandhi Endowment to provide support for projects that represent start-up efforts or change initiatives, professional enhancement of faculty, faculty initiatives to improve learning opportunities for students, programmatic support; outreach and public lectures and student research awards. A prominent community leader, Madhavan was the founding chairman of the Asian and Pacific Studies department at SDSU.

Back to Top

Catherine M. Stiefel & J. Keith Behner Latin American Studies Endowment

Supported by prominent philanthropists and SDSU alumni Keith Behner (political science ‘71) and Catherine Stiefel (accountancy ‘92), this endowment provides support to the Latin American Studies Program within the College of Arts and Letters.

Back to Top

Salim & Francoise Shah Endowment for the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies

Salim and Francoise Shah have been avid supporters of the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies since its founding in 2000. They held fundraisers in their home and found community support, which made it possible to establish the center. The goal was to create not only an academic program but a hub for community outreach. Their endowment continues the family’s legacy of support. The endowment is committed to supporting teaching, research and student scholarship focused on the lives of Muslim and Arabic-speaking peoples past and present.

Back to Top

Friends of Classics Endowment

The Friends of Classics supports the Department of Classics and Humanities. Founded as a way to ensure that classical studies — especially the study of classical Greek and Latin — would remain a viable and valued program at SDSU, the “Friends” continually seek out ways to support the Department and its students.

Gail Burnett Lecture Endowment

Gail Burnett was a faculty emerita of the English and Classics Department at SDSU from 1949 to 1968. Her endowment provides support for lectures in Greek and Roman classics in the College of Arts and Letters.

John Adams Endowment 

John Adams taught at SDSU from 1928 until 1968, serving as a professor of English and the first chair of the Department of Humanities. After his retirement, John became a part-time university archivist for San Diego State College. John and Jane donated generously to the university. One of the university's most noted academicians, Dr. Adams' name graces the Adams Humanities Building, which opened in 1977. This endowment, established by John Adams and his wife, Jane, supports the Classics and Humanities Department in the College of Arts and Letters.

Back to Top

Donna Dickson Kindig Dean's Excellence Endowment 

David Kindig established this endowment in honor of his late wife, Donna Dickson Kindig. The endowment supports areas of focus of excellence in teaching, research, scholarship and community international engagement. Donna Dickson Kindig graduated from SDSU in 1956 with an art degree.

Dwight Stanford CAL Dean's Excellence Endowment

Dwight E. Stanford graduated from SDSU (then San Diego State College) in 1936 with a bachelor's degree in history. A well-known figure in San Diego, Stanford served as President of Balboa University, an attorney and a business and community leader. At SDSU, Stanford was active in the SDSU Alumni Association, having served as director and as the chair of the Planned Giving Committee in 1987-88. This endowment provides enables the Dean to provide support to faculty and students, projects that represent start-up efforts or change initiatives, professional enhancement of faculty, and faculty initiatives to improve student learning opportunities.

M.C. Madhavan Excellence Endowment

Professor emeritus of economics and Asian Studies, M.C. Madhavan established the M.C. Madhavan Excellence Endowment to aid the faculty and students in the College of Arts and Letters in efforts to pursue educational excellence. A prominent community leader, Madhavan was the founding chairman of the Department of Asian and Pacific Studies at SDSU.

Pitt and Virginia Warner College of Arts and Letters Dean's Excellence Endowment

College of Arts and Letters alumni Pitt (sociology ‘69) and Virginia (English ‘52) established the Pitt and Virginia Warner College of Arts and Letters Dean’s Excellence Endowment to provide support for program development, projects that bring faculty and students together from multiple disciplines, and CAL engagement in San Diego communities.

Back to Top

Edwin Watkins Endowment

Edwin Watkins attended SDSU (at the time San Diego State College) in the 1930’s and enjoyed editing a poetry magazine. His endowment supports the publication of a poetry annual or journal. Today, that journal is known as Fiction International.

Hugh C. Hyde Living Writers' Endowment

Hugh Hyde taught English at Southwestern College for more than 25 years. He enjoyed playing the violin, writing poetry and travel. Hyde’s endowment supports the Hugh C. Hyde Living Writers’ Series, which features MFA faculty, students, affiliates, and alumni. The Living Writers' Series at SDSU is one of the longest continuously running series in the nation.

Laurie Okuma Memorial Endowment

Laurie Okuma graduated from SDSU in 1977. Thanks to an endowment created by Laurie’s family and friends in her honor, the MFA program hosts the Laurie Okuma Memorial Reading. The memorial reading hosts women of color to read/speak at the Living Writers’ Series.

Back to Top

Arthur Getis Lectureship Endowment

Arthur Getis is faculty emeritus in SDSU’s Department of Geography, having taught from 1990-2004. Dr. Getis achieved University Consortium of Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) Fellow status to recognize his outstanding impact on the field of GIScience as well as for his service to UCGIS. Getis’ endowment supports an annual lecture featuring an outstanding practitioner of spatial analysis.

Geography Development Endowment

The Geography Development Endowment supports the Department of Geography with unrestricted support.

Geography Graduate Reception Endowment

The Geography Graduate Reception Endowment provides support to defray the cost of receptions to honor Department of Geography graduate students upon the completion of their public thesis or dissertation presentations.

L. C. Post Lecture Endowment

Dr. Lauren Post was professor of geography at San Diego State from 1937-1969. Post is remembered for his Aztec Newsletter in which he corresponded with Aztec servicemen and women during World War II. Post’s endowment supports an annual lecturer in the Department of Geography.

Back to Top

Back to Top

African American Faculty/Staff Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will provide support for scholarships to undergraduate students who are active in the African American community on and off campus.

Danny Scarborough Endowment 

Danny Scarborough was the founder, choreographer, and director of the San Diego State University Black Repertory Total Theatrical Experience from 1977 to 1987. Scarborough had been an associate professor of Africana Studies at San Diego State University. He received an Emmy in 1978 from the Academy for Television Arts and Sciences in San Diego. This endowment supports scholarships for students majoring in Africana Studies.

Gertrude Jockusch Endowed Scholarship

Gertrude Jockusch’s endowment provides scholarship support to students studying American Indian Studies or Africana Studies in the College of Arts and Letters.

Shirley Wade Thomas Memorial Endowment

Shirley Wade Thomas was a professor in the Afro-American Studies department from 1972 until her death in 1988. Thomas was a popular figure in the city's black community and a widely recognized expert in the field of black child development. This endowed scholarship in her honor provides support for scholarships to students studying Africana Studies.

Back to Top

Louise and Raymond Clark Endowed 

Mrs. Louise Clark was a philanthropist who lovingly supported SDSU’s students until her death in 1959. Clark was thrilled knowing that her generosity will “help educate generations of students forever.” This endowed scholarship will support all class levels of students majoring in anthropology, biology-zoology or English.

Norton Allen Endowment 

Norton Allen was a graduate of the College of Arts and Letters, who went on to become a well-known mapmaker in Southern California. His endowment provides scholarship support to students majoring in anthropology.

Pitt Warner Endowed Anthropology Scholarship

Pitt Warner became a professional drummer at the age of 14. Shortly before his 40th birthday, Warner enrolled at San Diego State University. After graduating from SDSU, Warner taught elementary school and worked as a wedding and portrait photographer. College of Arts and Letters alumni Pitt (Sociology ‘69) established the Pitt Warner Endowed Anthropology Scholarship to support a faculty member for outstanding innovation in scholarship, teaching, or programmatic development in the Department of English and Comparative Literature.

Sonek Memorial Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will provide support for scholarships to students studying Anthropology in the College of Arts and Letters. 

Back to Top

Clara De Escudero Endowment

This endowment provides support for scholarships to students studying Chicana and Chicano Studies in the College of Arts and Letters.

Gracia Molina Enriquez de Pick Endowed Scholarship

Gracia Molina Enriquez de Pick was a prominent educator, feminist, and community activist until her death in 2019. “She dedicated her life to being a voice for others, to standing up.” This endowed scholarship provides support to students majoring in Chicana and Chicano Studies in the College of Arts and Letters.

Letty Zanchez Memorial Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship supports students majoring in Chicana and Chicano Studies in the College of Arts and Letters.

Back to Top

Friends of Classics Charter Endowment

The Friends of Classics Charter Scholarship was established in 1993 to honor the Charter Members of the organization with annual scholarships to worthy students. Each Friends of Classics Charter Scholarship is designated for a student majoring in Classics, who is currently enrolled in Greek or Latin courses and who shows promise of excelling in future courses.

M.S. Biehl Endowment

The Martha Biehl Memorial Scholarship recognizes worthy students pursuing the major or minor in Classics or Humanities. It was organized by the first president of The Friends of Classics, Dr. Viola Granstaff. This endowment will provide support to first-year students in the Department of Classics and Humanities in the College of Arts and Letters.

Robert and Paula Cottam Endowment

The Robert and Paula Cottam Memorial Scholarship was endowed by Ms. Cottam (who was a member of Friends of Classics) in 1997 to memorialize her husband. After her passing, Ms. Cottam’s name was added to the scholarship, which recognizes excellence in the study of the classics with support for students studying in the Department of Classics and Humanities.

Steven C. Schaber Endowed Scholarship

The Steven C. Schaber Scholarship was established by friends and colleagues of Steve, who wanted to honor his memory as an outstanding teacher in the humanities. Steve loved to travel, and he would welcome the opportunity to help students travel, as well. This scholarship is thus designed to assist classics and humanities majors who are traveling abroad to further their studies. This endowed scholarship will provide support to students to study abroad in the Department of Classics and Humanities in the College of Arts and Letters.

Viola Granstaff Endowed Scholarship

The Viola Granstaff Memorial Scholarship was established in October of 1986 by the Friends of Classics and faculty members to provide scholarship support to students pursuing a major or minor in the classics who have completed at least their first semester of Greek or Latin coursework. This endowed scholarship will provide support to students participating in the Service to Classics Program in the College of Arts and Letters.

Back to Top

The Pitt and Virginia Warner College of Arts and Letters Endowed Scholarship

This is an endowment whose annual income distributions will be used to support student scholarships within the College of Arts and Letters at San Diego State University.

Donna Dickson Kindig Dean's Excellence Endowment

Donna was an accomplished artist and member of the San Diego Visual Arts Guild until her death in 2009. This endowment will support areas of focus of excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, and community international engagement.

Christopher John Mortenson Memorial Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will provide scholarship support to first-year students, or new transfer students, in any major or department within the College of Arts and Letters.

Norma G. Sullivan Memorial Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will provide support to students within the College of Arts and Letters involved in course work in environmental studies related to desert ecology, or projects related to threats to the desert environment.

Back to Top

McCuen Endowed Economic Scholarship

This scholarship will provide support to students studying economics in the College of Arts and Letters.

Terhune Economics Endowed Scholarship

To provide support for scholarships to students studying economics in the College of Arts and Letters.

Stanley I. and Andrea J. Ornstein Scholarship Endowment

This endowed scholarship will provide support to upper division students in the Department of Economics in the College of Arts and Letters.

Dennis P. Hill Memorial Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will provide support to students in the Department of Economics in the College of Arts and Letters.

Economics Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will provide support to students within the Department of Economics in the College of Arts and Letters.

Daniel Weintraub Endowed Scholarship

Daniel Weintraub was born and raised in San Diego and received a degree in economics from San Diego State University in 1981. Weintraub is a successful economics major who became a journalist for The Sacramento Bee. In 2000, Weintraub received the John Jacobs Award from the Center for California Studies for excellence in reporting on California government and politics.This scholarship will be awarded for the best essay written by an undergraduate economics major and by a graduate student in the master’s program in the Department of Economics.

CPE/Weiss Endowment

The Department of Economics administers the Center for Public Economics (CPE) Scholarship Program. Applications are solicited early each spring semester with cash awards normally made during April. The competition is open to currently enrolled students with a concentration in economics and an interest in public economics. Annually the Center for Public Economics awards the $500 Walter Weiss scholarship.

Elynor F. McPeak Endowed Scholarship for Economics Excellence

Elynor (’63) and Gen. Merrill McPeak (’57) created two endowed scholarship programs in the College of Arts and Letters. The Elynor F. McPeak Endowed Scholarship for Economics Excellence will provide support for graduate students pursuing a master’s degree in the Department of Economics.

Back to Top

Ariss Treat Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will provide support to students in the Department of English and Comparative Literature in the College of Arts and Letters.

Frank J. Dixon and Marion E. Dixon Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Frank J. Dixon (`80) was founder of The Scripps Research Institute before he died in 2008. Marion E. Dixon (`81) received her master of arts degree in English with honors from San Diego State College in 1971 before she died in 2015. This endowed scholarship will provide support to students in the Department of English and Comparative Literature in the College of Arts and Letters.

Virginia Warner Endowed English Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will support students within the Department of English in the College of Arts and Letters.

The Honorable Scholar Endowment

This scholarship will provide annual support for student scholarships for undergraduate English and/or comparative literature majors in the College of Arts and Letters.

Robert W. Knauer Endowed Scholarship for Writers and Poets

This endowed scholarship will provide support for scholarships to students in the College of Arts and Letters to further the education of writers and poets.

English and Comparative Literature M.A. Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will support English and Comparative Literature master of arts scholarships.

Ruth Keen Endowment

This endowment will provide support for scholarships for liberal arts students in the College of Arts and Letters.

Back to Top

Back to Top

Back to Top

Dr. Gianangelo Vergani Italian Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will provide support to students within the College of Arts and Letters and who are enrolled in Italian coursework or studying Italian abroad.

Henri and Jeanne Ghilbert Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will provide support to students pursuing a degree in French or Italian in the Department of European Studies in the College of Arts and Letters.

Dorothy E. Knott Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will provide support to students who will be studying abroad in France.

Back to Top

Irene McFarland Geography Endowment

This scholarship will provide support for scholarships to students studying geography in the College of Arts and Letters.

William & Vivian Finch Endowed Scholarship

This endowed scholarship will provide support to graduate students in the remote sensing program in the Department of Geography.

Richard Wright Award in Cartography Endowment

Dr. Richard D. Wright is emeritus professor of geography and past co-director of the Center for Earth Systems Analysis Research at San Diego State University. He is a specialist on geographic information systems(GIS), cartographic visualization, and coastal watershed analysis. Wright has received significant awards from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Partnership for Reinventing Government, the Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society, the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, the governors of California and Baja California, the County of San Diego, the California Geographic Information Association, and the president of San Diego State University. This endowed scholarship will provide support to graduate students with a geography major.

Alvena Storm Memorial Endowment

​Alvena Storm was born on March 10, 1902, in Pendleton, Oregon, where she grew up on a wheat farm. Storm joined the SDSU faculty in 1926 and taught here for 40 years, coming to be known as an expert on the geography of California and the West. Storm received an honorary doctoral degree from San Diego State University, one of only five professors at the time ever to be awarded that honor. Storm died on June 11, 2003. This memorial endowed scholarship is for undergraduate and master’s geography students with at least a 3.50 minimum GPA.

George and Evelyn Parrott Memorial Scholarship in Geography Endowment

This memorial endowed scholarship will provide support to students in the Department of Geography in the College of Arts and Letters.

Ned Greenwood Physical Geography Award Endowment

This endowed scholarship shall fund an annual award to an outstanding master’s student in physical geography (soils, climatology, geomorphology, or hydrology) in the College of Arts and Letters.

L.C. Post Endowed Scholarship

A native of Rayne, Louisiana, Lauren Post was professor of geography at San Diego State University from 1937-1969.  He was educated at the University of California and Louisiana State University, and taught at San Francisco State University and Louisiana State University before coming to San Diego State University.  Post is remembered for his Aztec Newsletter in which he corresponded with Aztec servicemen and women during World War II. Post passed away in 1976. This endowed scholarship will provide support to students studying geography in the College of Arts and Letters.

Back to Top