Gifts to fund KU religious studies professorships

Four private foundations have given a total of $2.4 million to establish professorships in Roman Catholic thought and modern Jewish studies at Kansas University, Chancellor Robert Hemenway announced Tuesday.

The professorships are part of an ongoing effort to diversify the study of world religions and the humanities at KU, Hemenway said.

The gifts were made to the Kansas University Endowment Association from foundations in Lawrence, Topeka, Wichita and Kansas City, Mo.

The private foundation of the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center in Lawrence, through a bequest left for the center by the late Jack and Delores Caldwell of Topeka, gave $500,000 to create the Caldwell-Sabatini Professorship in Roman Catholic Thought Fund.

The Sabatini Family Foundation of Topeka pledged $500,000 for the same professorship.

The Robert M. Beren Foundation of Wichita pledged $500,000 to create the Robert M. Beren Distinguished Professorship in Modern Jewish Studies.

Matching gifts were provided for both funds through previous gifts from the Hall Family Foundation of Kansas City.

A portion of the interest earned on each endowed professorship will fund a salary stipend and provide support for professional travel, graduate student researchers, equipment or other materials for the faculty member awarded the professorship.

Nationwide searches to select candidates for the professorships will begin this fall. Both professors selected will be associated with the KU Department of Religious Studies.

The Caldwell-Sabatini professor will teach at least two courses each year on some aspect of the Roman Catholic tradition, such as the history of Catholicism or Roman Catholic thought.

The individual awarded the Beren professorship will teach at least three courses in areas such as the history of Jewish people, the state of Israel, modern Israel, contemporary Judaism, the history of Zionism or the history of Judaism.

The Beren professor also may advise students and conduct public lectures on subjects in the area of Jewish studies and modern Israel.