Among the most prestigious honors at Tel-Hai College is the bestowal of a Faculty Chair. The honor distinguishes professors who have made outstanding contributions in their fields of study. Moreover, it is a tribute to the Chair’s patron, an individual who recognizes the value and importance of progressive academic achievement.
The patron plays an integral role in the Chair incumbent’s intellectual pursuits and accomplishments by supporting and thereby promoting ongoing innovation. The name of the Chair donor appears on all academic papers given by the professor, on all literature, presentations, publications and stationary that emanate from the professor’s research and study. A Chair imparts academic credibility for its holder while acknowledging the patron’s depth of understanding and commitment toward the advancement of scholarly work.
A Faculty Chair endowment also enables Tel-Hai to compete for mid-career scholars who are in high demand throughout Israel providing a measure of security and stability for the scholar, allowing him or her to focus entirely on scholarly pursuits, unfettered by extraneous fund raising demands. This is especially important now that Tel-Hai has established itself as a major player among institutes of higher learning within Israel and internationally. The Chair is held by a single professor for his or her entire academic career at Tel-Hai College, and then is passed to the next generation of Tel-Hai scholars.
The establishment of a Faculty Chair will ensure the continued research of a leading scholar. A special ceremony is held in the presence of the patron, usually at the annual Board of Governors meetings, to bestow upon the professor this highly coveted honor.
Endowed chairs exist in perpetuity. Donors may establish a Faculty Chair in their own names or in the names of others they wish to honor.
