Carol G. Belk Distinguished Professor
Mark Gibney, Ph.D.
The Carol G. Belk Distinguished Professorship in Humanities was endowed by Irwin Belk in honor of his wife. Subtitled “Ethics In Contemporary Cultures,” the Belk Professorship is given to an individual who can share his or her knowledge of the history, development and function of ethics and ethical systems in contemporary world cultures. The Belk Professor may come from any discipline and must have substantial accomplishment in undergraduate teaching, interdisciplinary teaching, scholarship, and campus and community leadership. The Belk Professor receives twelve contact hours of reassigned time, and has duties which include teaching courses in the Humanities program, scholarship, support of undergraduate research and faculty development activities. No term of appointment is specified.
Carson Distinguished Professor
Bert Holmes, Ph.D.
The Phillip G. Carson Distinguished Professor in Science may be awarded in any discipline in UNC Asheville’s natural sciences division, preferably to an individual whose specialty area stresses interdisciplinary learning. Identified as both a teacher and a scholar, the Carson Professor must have a strong commitment to undergraduate education and to undergraduate research, and is expected to have a wide impact on the university community and the state. Duties include regular teaching of both upper and lower level courses (number of courses not specified), scholarship, support of undergraduate research, faculty development activities, and some public responsibilities. The appointment also provides separate funding for additional expenses. No term of appointment is specified.
Cary Caperton Owen Distinguished Professor
Rob Tatum, Ph.D. (2019 – 2022)
Supported by a grant from the C. D. Spangler Foundation, the Cary Caperton Owen Professorship is awarded to a Professor of Economics to recognize and to encourage excellence in the Department of Economics in teaching, scholarship, and professional and community service. The Owen Professorship provides twelve contact hours of reassigned time each year and financial resources which enables the pursuit of work that would not otherwise have been possible, preferably work that engages others in the university and in the community. The term of appointment is three years, which may be renewed.
GlaxoSmithKline Professor
Ted Miegs, Ph.D.
The GlaxoSmithKline Professorship is supported by grants from the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation and the C. D. Spangler foundation. The appointment recognizes excellence in teaching and scholarship in the area of molecular and chemical biology, and is for a five-year term which may be renewed for a subsequent five-year term. The GlaxoSmithKline Professor receives twelve contact hours of reassigned time each year to enable support of undergraduate research.
Glaxo Wellcome Professor
Amanda Wolfe, Ph.D. (2022 — 2027)
The Glaxo Wellcome Professorship in Undergraduate Research may be awarded in any discipline in the physical and natural sciences, preferably to an individual whose expertise can enhance interdisciplinary learning and scholarship. The Glaxo Wellcome Professor is expected to take the lead role in facilitating interdisciplinary science and undergraduate science research. Evidence of commitment to undergraduate education, undergraduate research, and the liberal arts is essential. Preference is given to those with a proven record of securing external funds. The Glaxo Wellcome Professor receives twelve contact hours of reassigned time each year, supporting their scholarship, support of undergraduate research, faculty development activities, and some public responsibilities. The appointment is for five years, renewable for a second five years.
Mountain South Professor
IRENE ROSSELL, Ph.D. (2023 – 2025)
Supported by grants from the C.D. Spangler Foundation and the UNC Asheville Foundation, this professorship is awarded to a tenured full professor from any discipline who has demonstrated exemplary teaching across the liberal arts curriculum, scholarly expertise in a field related to the Mountain South, and substantive contributions to the University and its mission. The Professorship offers compensation in the form of a stipend and provides for twelve contact hours of reassigned time each year. The appointment is for three years, with the possibility of a second three-year reappointment.
National Endowment for the Humanities Professor
WILLIAM BARES, PH.D. (2022 – 2025)
Supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the title of NEH professor is bestowed as a reward for scholarship and teaching in the Humanities. The NEH professor teaches a reduced class load (twelve contact hours of release time each year) and assists with faculty development in the Humanities area. The appointment is made by the Provost and VCAA for a term of 3 years.
Roy Carroll Distinguished Professorship
Ellen holmes pearson, Ph.D. (2021 – 2026)
The Roy Carroll Distinguished Professorship in Honors Arts and Sciences was made possible by a grant from the C.D. Spangler Foundation and a generous anonymous private gift. The Carroll Professor works closely with the Director of the Honors program and supports the program in establishing linkages to undergraduate research, service learning, and other university initiatives. The Professorship is awarded to a tenured full professor who has a record of substantive contribution to the University and its mission as well as exemplary teaching across the liberal arts curriculum and in the Honors program. The appointment comes with twelve contact hours of reassigned time each year to support programming activities in the Honors program. The Carroll Professor is expected to teach both in the Honors program and in his or her home department. The initial appointment is for a three-year term, with the possibility of a second three-year reappointment.
Ruth Paddison Distinguished Professor
Laura Bond, MFA (2022 – 2025)
Asheville resident Ruth Paddison deeply valued education and established the Distinguished Professorship to support the Arts at UNC Asheville. The Ruth Paddison Distinguished Professorship was made possible by the C. D. Spangler Foundation and the generous gift of Ruth Paddison, who was an early patron of the Music and Drama productions at UNC Asheville. The Professorship is awarded to a tenured full professor from the Music or Drama department. The Professorship offers compensation in the form of a stipend and provides for twelve contact hours of reassigned time each year. In addition, the endowment provides funds to initiate and sustain support for undergraduate research projects, professional development, or other appropriate activities. The Paddison Professor will use the release time and funding to: (1) promote interdisciplinary connections between fields, (2) promote excellence in teaching, (3) engage in faculty development, (4) support an active scholarly agenda. The appointment is for three years.
Sara and Joseph Breman Professor
SONIA KAPUR, Ph.D. (2023 – 2025)
The Sara and Joseph Breman Foundation and the Helen and Coleman Zageir Foundation have provided a permanent endowment for the Sara and Joseph Breman Professorship of Social Relations. This professorship is awarded for a two-year term to a faculty member residing in one of the Social Science departments. A call for applications is made during the fall semester of the Breman Professor’s second year. Applications are reviewed the following spring by the Dean of Social Sciences in consultation with the chairs of the Social Science departments, and the appointment is made by the Chancellor. The Breman Professor is named in the spring and his or her two-year term begins the subsequent fall.
Thomas Howerton Distinguished Professor
Erica Abrams Locklear, Ph.D. (2022 – 2025)
Supported by a gift from Helen Howerton Lineberry and her husband Al Lineberry in memory of her father, Thomas Howerton, and a grant from the C. D. Spangler Foundation, the Howerton Professorship is awarded to a tenured full professor who has demonstrated exemplary teaching across the liberal arts curriculum and made substantive contributions to the University and its mission. The Howerton professorship has a four-fold responsibility: (1) to add knowledge for the betterment of humanity, (2) to enhance UNC Asheville’s emphasis on an interdisciplinary study of Humanities infused across the curriculum, (3) to make more visible—locally, statewide, and nationally—UNC Asheville’s dedication to the Humanities, and (4) to inspire excellence in the study of the Humanities by initiating and coordinating a lecture series. The Professorship offers compensation in the form of a stipend and provides for twelve contact hours of reassigned time each year. The Thomas Howerton Distinguished Professorship is a three-year appointment, with the possibility of a second three-year reappointment.