Moe Named to Chair of Education

October 9, 2001

Rollins College has received a gift of $1 million from Esther Mertz, of Sarasota, Florida.

Mrs. Mertz has donated the fund to establish the Richard James Mertz Chair of Education, an endowed chair in memory of her late son, a 1960 graduate of Rollins College.

"I can't think of a better memorial to my beloved son, Richard," said Esther Mertz. "His years at Rollins were some of the happiest of his life, and supporting education is the best way I can pay tribute to his memory."

"We are so very grateful for this generous gift," said President Rita Bornstein. "Our award-winning faculty is our college's greatest resource. A named professorship is an endorsement of intellectual achievement, teaching excellence, and dedication to learning. For the College, endowed chairs area a means of recognizing and attracting talented faculty. There is no more valuable gift to an institution."

In the last decade, the number of endowed chairs at Rollins College has risen dramatically from nine to 22. The Richard James Mertz Chair of Education will benefit Rollins' Department of Education, which is committed to a philosophy of learning that focuses on the learner as the active agent and source of knowledge and offers students a wide range of courses and field experiences.

Founded in 1885, Rollins College is Florida's oldest recognized college, and is consistently ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of "America's best colleges." Its Crummer Graduate School of Business is ranked by Forbes magazine among the nation's top regional business schools. For more information about Rollins, visit our Web site at www.rollins.edu.