40 American Philosophical Society members 6 Wolf Foundation Prize for Mathematics winners When a member of the faculty distinguishes him or herself among this outstanding group of scholars, his or her contribution must truly be exceptional. The highest honor Stanford can bestow upon such a member of its faculty is the endowed professorship. The first endowed chair at Stanford was given in 1920 by Viscount E. Shibusawa of Japan. It was originally called the Chair in Japanese History and Civilization, but its name later changed to honor its first holder, Yamato Ichihashi. Over the next 78 years, Stanford had the good fortune to receive many more gifts of endowed professorships.
Endowed professorships continue to be among the university's highest fundraising priorities.
If the university is to maintain and enhance its position as a leader in the world of higher education, it must, above all, continually renew and strengthen its faculty and be able to offer competitive compensation packages to those scholars who are in the highest demand around the country and the world. Endowed professorships are the most basic and enduring way of achieving these goals.