An anonymous Kansas University alumna has committed $2 million to the School of Education to create a distinguished professorship in counseling psychology.

The gift, announced today, is the second largest in history for the School of Education. It will be given to KU through the donor’s estate once the donor has died. At that time, the new professorship position will be created and the donor’s name will be released.

Rick Ginsberg, dean of education, said that the professorship would help keep KU’s counseling psychology program competitive. The program prepares students to work as counselors at schools, universities, hospitals and other institutions, and also generates research in the field of counseling psychology.

“A professorship like this can help us attract a high-quality faculty member, and that can sustain the level of quality of our program over time,” Ginsberg said.

Distinguished professorships are typically used to attract professors who are nationally recognized in their field. Having one in the counseling psychology program could help with recruitment efforts of both students and faculty.

The KU Endowment Association president, Dale Seuferling, whose staff worked closely with the donor in drawing up the details of the gift, said that the donor was “really inspired by the KU faculty and the education they received.”

Though anonymous gifts are rare, Seuferling said donations made through wills are fairly common. Sueferling said the donor was largely motivated by a desire to enrich the education of future KU students.

“They wanted to pay it forward, so to speak,” he said.