Giving Back to the Faculty

The heart and soul of every college are the students, but a college would have to close its doors without the faculty--the backbone of the institution. Newberry College strives to attract and retain students with strong potential and to produce graduates who will contribute to the general welfare. These goals cannot be realized without incentives to attract, enhance and retain faculty who imbue students with curiosity and the desire to think and learn.

A unique way to honor a faculty member is a support fund like the one David and Geiger Yount established in 1986. The Olin S. and Gladys G. Long Faculty Development and Support Fund for the Newberry College Department of Biology and Chemistry (the Long Fund) is used to provide monies for activities such as professional meetings, presentation of scholarly papers and support of faculty research in the sciences for either o ncampus or off-campus field study. The sole purpose of the fund is to support quality instruction in the sciences within the liberal arts curriculum at Newberry College. The intent is to foster a greater emphasis on the scholarly activities of the science faculty.

When Geiger's father, Olin S. Long (Class of 1922) died and left her a substantial inheritance, she and David decided to devote a portion of that to Newberry College. This became the seed money for the Long Fund. Because David (Class of 1960) was a science major at Newberry, he thought it was fitting to honor the professors who influenced his development as a scientist-- Kibler Williamson, Conrad Park and James Park--and to dedicate the fund to the development and support of the science faculty at Newberry. "We established this fund as a tribute to the ideals of my parents: that young minds be influenced and developed by dedicated and capable teachers and that teachers have and use resources wisely to achieve this purpose," Geiger says.

Other efforts to reward outstanding professors have resulted in several professorships being established at Newberry College through the generosity of gracious donors. Dr. and Mrs. William S. Boyd of Augusta, Ga., dedicated much of their lives to helping Newberry. In 1965, they initiated a professorship at the college. "My wife and I feel that small church-related colleges will play a vital role in perpetuating the spiritual values of our heritage and preserving our concept of individual liberties and sense of social responsibility," Dr. Boyd proclaimed in 1965 upon setting up the professorship.

Another professorship, the Billy Carter Professor of the Humanities, was established after the death of distinguished alumnus Billy Carter. This professorship seeks to recognize a professor in the humanities who has made a significant contribution to the life and ministry of Newberry College.

Starting a development fund or professorship is a wonderful way to leave your legacy. If you cannot afford to set up your own fund, you can help increase resources for the faculty by donating to an established fund such as the Long Fund or an existing professorship. A gift is never too small; a gift from the heart is always significant. If you would like more information on how you can support the faculty at Newberry College, please contact Laura Beth Shealy, at LauraBeth.Shealy@newberry.edu or 803-321-5651.