Donors, appointees celebrate impact of endowed chairs

Associate professor Mary Childers Mangusso, left, who was recently appointed to the Arthur T. Fathauer Chair in History, stands with Ted Fathauer during a reception earlier this month. Fathauer is a trustee for the University of Alaska Foundation and lead forecaster for the Fairbanks National Weather Service office. His mother, the late Helen Ann Fathauer, established the Fathauer Chair in 2000 in honor of her late husband, who studied history at the University of Chicago. This is the first year it became fully endowed, which allowed the university to fill the position. Mangusso will serve in the position for three years, during which she will teach and mentor students, as well as give public lectures.

Professor Joel Shurkin, center, who was recently appointed to the Charles W. Snedden Chair in Journalism, meets with Snedden family representative Virginia Farmier, left, and College of Liberal Arts Dean Ron Davis during a reception earlier this month. Helen Snedden established the Snedden Chair in 2003 in memory of her late husband, the former publisher and owner of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Since its establishment, the chair has allowed the UAF journalism department to bring a series of nationally known journalists to Fairbanks to speak to students, local journalists and the public. Shurkin, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who will serve in the position for the 2007-2008 academic year, is the first full-time faculty member appointed to the Snedden Chair.