Establishing endowed professorships and chairs enable us to recruit the most accomplished and knowledgeable physicians and researchers to train and mentor our students. The diverse clinical and research backgrounds of faculty enable them to bring a wide variety of expertise and experiences into their teaching, but they share one priority: to prepare the next generation of physicians to tackle the most pressing health issues. Donor support of faculty ensures that students receive the best possible training to be successful.

$2 MILLION GIFT TO ESTABLISH ENDOWED CHAIR IN HEALTH CARE BUSINESS INNOVATION

Renowned Houston philanthropist Elaine Finger has made a generous $2 million gift for an endowed chair to advance education, research and innovation in business and health care at the University of Houston. The Elaine W. Finger Endowed Chair in Health Care Business Innovation will be a joint appointment at the C. T. Bauer College of Business and the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. The search for the new chair will focus on an accomplished thought leader in health care innovation who is of high national prominence and able to elevate the stature of the University of Houston by bringing a record of achievements recognized by membership in the National Academy of Science, National Academy of Medicine or another national academy related to the field of study.

M.D. ANDERSON FOUNDATION GIFTS $1 MILLION TO UH FOR ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP IN MEDICINE

A $1 million pledge from the M.D. Anderson Foundation to the University of Houston College of Medicine establishes the M.D. Anderson Foundation Endowed Professorship in Medicine to be held by a leader in health care innovation recruited to join the College of Medicine faculty.

“The M.D. Anderson Foundation affirms its commitment to providing community-focused health care across Texas and is proud to partner with the University of Houston College of Medicine through our gift for this endowed professorship. This gift will keep the focus on providing the best education for tomorrow’s medical practitioners as they serve their communities,” said Charles W. Hall, senior tax practitioner and former president of the M.D. Anderson Foundation.

ASPIRE FUND

In 2018, an anonymous donor gifted $50 million to the University of Houston and created the Aspire Fund: The $50 Million challenge. This pledge creates a matching endowment program to establish endowed chairs and professorships across the University, which will be a first-of-its-kind program for UH. The Aspire Fund is designed to inspire another $50 million in investments from additional donors, making the total impact as much as $100 million and positioning UH to be nationally competitive in attracting preeminent faculty.

• Donors who commit $2 million to establish an endowed chair in the Health Care Innovation Institute will have their gifts matched by the anonymous donor, doubling the impact to create a $4 million endowed chair.
• Similarly, $1 million gifts for endowed professorships in the Health Care Innovation Institute will be matched by the anonymous donor to create $2 million endowed professorships.
• These gifts are also eligible for the Texas Research Incentive Program (TRIP). Under TRIP, $1-$2 million gifts designated for research-related purposes may receive 75%-100% matching, at the discretion of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.