To honor a father who stoked their love of history and respect for civil rights, Boulder sisters and University of Colorado Boulder alumnae Midge Korczak and Leslie Singer Lomas have donated $2 million to endow the Louis P. Singer Endowed Chair in Jewish History at the University of Colorado Boulder.
The chair supports a distinguished senior faculty position in perpetuity, and adds substantially to the momentum and presence of the Jewish Studies Program. 鈥淎t a time when globalization has become a buzz word for making our university international, the Singer Chair in Jewish History ensures that CU students will be able to study the history of the world鈥檚 oldest global people long into the future,鈥� said David Shneer, Chair of Religious Studies and Professor of History, Religious Studies, and Jewish Studies. Shneer is the inaugural Singer chairholder.
By supporting a faculty position in perpetuity, endowed chairs can boost recruitment and signify stability for university programs.听鈥淛ewish Studies may be a hot topic this year or next year, but who knows down the road?鈥� said Korczak. 鈥淲e wanted to establish some permanence to the program, and endowing a chair helps to do this.鈥�
The sisters made the gift to honor their father, Louis P. Singer, who was a partner in the over-the-counter securities firm Troster-Singer and who had a keen personal interest in intellectual debate, philanthropy and civil rights. He cared deeply about education and early on recognized the importance of institutions fostering an understanding of diverse religions and cultures. The Singer Chair was created in his memory with the hope that its establishment will make it possible for students at the University of Colorado to better appreciate the history of the Jewish people.
鈥淗e was very modest and humble,鈥� Korczak said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of another way to honor him that would make him happier than to make this gift.鈥�
This gift is among more than 200,000 received by the University of Colorado since the 2006 outset of 鈥淐reating Futures鈥� 鈥� an unprecedented $1.5 billion fundraising campaign to support teaching, research, outreach and health programs on CU鈥檚 four campuses.