During a ceremony Sept. 12, Rush University celebrated four esteemed faculty members, including three appointed to endowed professorships and one to an endowed presidential chair. Endowed faculty positions, many made possible by the generosity of philanthropic partners, are the university’s highest honor and demonstrate confidence in and commitment to Rush’s mission and future.
“Endowed chairs and professorships amplify and distinguish the work of Rush University faculty,” said Christine M. Kennedy, PhD, RN, FAAN, the John L. and Helen Kellogg Dean of the Rush University College of Nursing and interim provost and vice president of Rush University. “These generous investments support the work of top scholars, researchers and educators who are addressing urgent scientific challenges and guiding the next generation of learners.”
At the September ceremony, Rush appointed the following faculty members to endowed positions:
- Mary Jo Fidler, MD, to the Alice Pirie Wirtz Professorship of Medical Oncology
- Robert S.D. Higgins, MD, MSHA, to the James A. Campbell, MD, Presidential Chair
- Meenakshi Jolly, MD, MSCP, to the George W. Stuppy, MD, Professorship of Arthritis
- Hannah J. Lundberg, PhD, to the Claude N. Lambert, MD — Helen S. Thomson Professorship of Orthopedic Surgery
Including the four recent appointments, Rush University has more than 100 endowed faculty positions, which are critical to the university’s vision. The endowments provide financial resources in perpetuity to fuel the work of leading faculty and support efforts to recruit and retain world-renowned experts dedicated to improving health for all.
The Alice Wirtz Professorship of Medical Oncology was established in 1996 by Alice and William Wirtz to encourage an ambitious approach to oncology research. Dr. Fidler, a nationally recognized thoracic oncologist, has extensive clinical experience treating lung cancer patients. She hopes to advance the most innovative therapies with funds from the endowment.
“The Alice Pirie Wirtz Professorship is an amazing opportunity that provides the time and resources needed to better outcomes for our cancer patients,” Dr. Fidler said. “We work to more effectively treat lung cancer with the least amount of side effects and support patients as they manage additional symptoms affecting quality of life and treatment responsiveness.”
The James A. Campbell, MD, Presidential Chair is the second chair established in honor of its namesake, who served as Rush University’s first president. The growth of the investment by the Chauncey and Marion D. McCormick Family Foundation, lead donor to the original fund, allowed Rush to create a second fund to further recruit and retain leading faculty members and academic leaders to Rush.
Dr. Higgins, the holder of the presidential chair, is president and chief academic officer of Rush University and chief academic officer, chief clinical officer, and senior vice president of Rush. He leads academic and clinical integration across Rush, ensuring alignment of clinical programs with the university and clinical locations.
“The foresight of the McCormick Family Foundation to support these Rush University endowments signifies the trust of donors in our work and their commitment to support academic and clinical leadership at Rush,” Dr. Higgins said. “Their legacy continues to impact and support the communities we serve. I am profoundly honored to serve in this capacity.”
The George W. Stuppy, MD, Professorship of Arthritis was established in 1987 by a gift from the estate of Charles J. Roberts and his wife, Margaret, to recognize Dr. Stuppy’s distinguished career of nearly 50 years as a physician, scientist and teacher at Rush University Medical Center. The holder of the professorship, Dr. Jolly, is a professor in Rush’s departments of Internal Medicine and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, director of the Rush Lupus Clinic, and associate program director for the Rush Rheumatology Fellowship Program. She leads Rush’s lupus research programs.
“This endowment will be used to advance research in health outcomes for people with lupus,” Dr. Jolly said.
The Claude N. Lambert, MD — Helen S. Thomson Professorship of Orthopedic Surgery was established in 1987 with a gift from the estate of Thomson, a longtime patient of the late Dr. Lambert, a member of Rush faculty for 40 years. Dr. Lundberg, an accomplished researcher and educator in orthopedic biomechanics, has been a leader in musculoskeletal research, focusing on modeling orthopedic implants and natural joints.
“I am grateful for the generous gift from the estate of Helen S. Thomson to support the Department of Orthopedic Surgery,” Dr. Lundberg said. “This funding will be an important part of sustaining translational computational research in orthopedics at Rush.”
Four other endowed faculty members also recently received new endowed titles, which recognize their ongoing commitment to their clinical and research areas of expertise. They are:
- Amina Ahmed, MD, from the George D. Wilbanks, MD, Professorship of Gynecologic Oncology to the Sheba Foundation Director of the Rush Cancer Program
- Anne-Marie Malfait, MD, PhD, from the George W. Stuppy, MD, Professorship of Arthritis to The Klaus E. Kuettner, PhD, Professorship of Osteoarthritis Research
- Joshua J. Jacobs, MD, from the William A. Hark, MD — Susanne G. Swift Professorship of Orthopedic Surgery (Emeritus) to The Grainger Directorship of the Rush Arthritis and Orthopedics Institute
- Markus A. Wimmer, PhD, from the Grainger Directorship of the Rush Arthritis and Orthopedics Institute to The Jorge O. Galante, MD, DMSc, Professorship of Orthopedic Surgery
Two former faculty members also recently received emeritus status for their endowed appointments. The honorary status is generally granted to individuals who hold the endowed faculty position at the point of retirement.
Bernard R. Bach Jr., MD, was notified of emeritus status for the Claude N. Lambert, MD — Helen S. Thomson Professorship of Orthopedic Surgery. Sharon Byrd received emeritus status for the Colonel Robert R. McCormick Professorship of Diagnostic Imaging.