An anonymous gift to the College of Human Sciences at Iowa State University will fund a new endowed Dean’s Chair. The gift will allow Pamela White, who will become the inaugural holder, unrestricted use of earnings toward the college’s priorities.

“I am deeply grateful to the donors for their vision and commitment to our college. This gift empowers us to further improve the science and technology of living and learning,” White said. “The gift is a vote of confidence that the college and its programs are making a difference in the lives of our students, faculty and alumni. The unrestricted nature of this generous endowment will enable us to meet emerging priorities more nimbly, and gain even more momentum.”

White will be officially installed as the Dean’s Chair in the College of Human Sciences on Friday, April 17, 2015. Endowed dean’s chairs are prestigious endowments that enable administrators to leverage human and financial resources to intensify the impact of their unit and its programs. Because earnings from endowments are not intended for one specific project, program or person, they can be focused on urgent and developing priorities.

The gift is a tribute to the leadership of White, who has led the college to unprecedented successes during her tenure. White has served as Dean of the College of Human Sciences since April of 2009.

She began her career at Iowa State in 1975, and since 2001, holds the title of University Professor in the department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. White has served in several leadership roles including interim chair of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, interim dean of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences and interim dean when that college was combined with the College of Education to form the College of Human Sciences.

Under White’s leadership as Dean, enrollment in the college has soared. A record 5,182 students are enrolled in the college this semester. Since its formation from longstanding programs nine years ago, the college’s enrollment has grown by 52 percent.

White led the establishment of the School of Education by joining longstanding and respected education programs into a single cohesive unit. She has spearheaded an effort to hire key faculty college-wide. In Fall of 2014, a total of 24 tenure-track professors joined the college’s faculty.

During White’s tenure, the College of Human Sciences has taken fundraising to new heights. In just three years since the university began the five-year Moving Students Forward initiative, the college has already secured $9.3 million toward its $10 million, five-year goal. In addition, the College of Human Sciences was the first collegiate fundraising unit to surpass its goal during Campaign Iowa State, and raised a total of $47 million.

White is also providing guidance to more fully integrate Human Sciences Extension and Outreach into the college, to ensure that human sciences improve people’s lives in every Iowa county every day.

“We are proud of the great gains the College of Human Sciences has made and the direction we have set,” White said. “Our people and programs set the bar for a standard of excellence. This gift from very close friends of the college will enable us to reach new heights.”

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