$1 Million Gift from J. William Asher '50 to Create Fund in the Humanities

February 10, 2014

President Brian W. Casey announced today that a $1 million gift from Dr. J. William “Bill” and Dorothy A. Asher will create a new endowed fund in the humanities. This most recent commitment marks the third such gift from the Asher family, with previous gifts supporting similar funds in psychology and the social sciences. Dr. Asher, a professor emeritus of education and psychological sciences at Purdue University, is a 1950 graduate of the University. 

“The student-faculty collaborations that are a hallmark of a DePauw education are made possible because of gifts like this one,” said Casey. “Countless students have had opportunities to conduct research, present their work at professional meetings and conferences, and explore new areas of study because of the generosity of Bill and Dorothy.  I am honored by their ongoing commitment to DePauw and I look forward to the opportunities that will be available to our students because of this latest gift.”

In 1996 Professor Asher created the J. William and Katherine C. Asher Endowed Research Fund to support psychological research and scholarly efforts.  He established the J. William Asher and Dorothy A. Asher Fund in the Social Sciences in 2010 to support social science research and scholarly efforts in the areas of history, economics and management, and political science.

Through these gifts, DePauw faculty and students have been able to present their research findings at conferences, collaborate on new research endeavors and travel to conduct their research. This latest gift will provide similar opportunities for students and faculty in the humanities.

“The research and scholarship taking place on the DePauw campus is outstanding,” said Bill Asher.  “Our hope is that this new fund will create even more opportunities for students and faculty to work together in ways that help students stand out amongst their peers, while creating a vibrant environment that continues to attract gifted faculty to the DePauw campus.”

As a faculty member at Purdue University, Bill Asher co-authored the book Composition Research – Empirical Designs, published by Oxford University Press, in addition to publishing numerous articles and other books.

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