SLU Honors Donors, Noted Scholars at March 31 Investiture Ceremony

03/17/2022

Saint Louis University will once again honor the donors whose generosity has established endowed chairs and professorships, as well as the scholars whose research, service and teaching achievements have recommended them for the notable positions. The ceremony will be Thursday, March 31, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Wool Ballroom in the Busch Student Center.

This is the second time the University has gathered to honor all of the newly endowed or reappointed named faculty positions across the University. The ceremony is meant to be an annual event, but hasn't been held since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event will include a welcome from Provost Mike Lewis, Ph.D.; an invocation from Vice President for Mission and Identity David Suwalsky, S.J., Ph.D.; and remarks from President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D.

There are 19 faculty members being honored from four schools. Three of the faculty positions are new positions — the Joan Hrubetz Endowed Deanship, which was created through a bequest from Gertrude Busch and completed through fundraising efforts by the Valentine School of Nursing; the Medart Chair in Family Business, which was originally a professorship but was upgraded through a recent pledge from the donor Mike Medart; the Robert Wheeler Endowed Psychology Assistantships, which are part of a larger endowed research fund created by the donor and namesake, who will be in attendance. 

The ceremony also will be honoring two named deanships — the Joan Hrubetz Endowed Deanship in the Valentine School of Nursing and the Edward Jones Deanship in the Chaifetz School of Business.

Registration is required. Guests can register online. The event also will check vaccination status or proof of a negative COVID test at the door before entry. 

2022 Investiture Ceremony Honorees

College of Arts and Sciences

• May O’Rourke Jay Chair in Art History and Religion: Cynthia Stollhans, Ph.D.
• Robert Wheeler Endowed Assistantship: Madeline J. Bruce, M.S., Tanesha R. Johnson, M.S. and Lauren D. Murphy, M.S.

School of Medicine

• Badeeh A. and Catherine V. Bander Chair in Internal Medicine: John Clark Edwards, M.D., Ph.D.
• William Beaumont, M.D. Chair in Physiology: Daniela Salvemini, Ph.D.
• Samuel W. Fordyce Chair in Psychiatry: Erick Messias, M.D., MPH, Ph.D.
• Rosalie Fusz Chair in Hematology: John M. Richart, M.D.
• C. Rollins Hanlon, M.D., Chair in Surgery: Sameer Siddiqui, M.D., F.A.C.S.
• James B. and Joan C. Peter Endowed Chair in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: David A. Ford, Ph.D.
• Harlene and Marvin Wool Endowed Professor in Cardiology: Kishore J. Harjai, M.D., M.M.M., F.A.C.C., F.S.C.A.I.

Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business 

• Edward Jones Dean in the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business: Barnali Gupta, Ph.D.
• Gustave K. Klausner Professor in Accounting: Yan Sun, Ph.D.
• Paul G. Lorenzini Endowed Professor in International Business: Hadi Alhorr, Ph.D.
• Medart Chair in Family Business: Patricia Bagsby, Ph.D.
• David Orthwein Endowed Professor in International Business: Nitish Singh, Ph.D., M.A., M.B.A.
• Martin and Agnes T. Shaughnessy Professor in Business: Fred Niederman, Ph.D.
• Clarence Louis and Helen Irene Steber Professor in Marketing: Mark J. Arnold, Ph.D.

Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing

• Joan Hrubetz Endowed Dean: Danny Willis, DNS, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN