The George Washington University (GW) announced it will direct more than $50 million to fund 14 endowed professorships, further accelerating the progress of its academic medical enterprise in one of the most significant single investments to support faculty in university history. The transformative investment into the endowment for professorships comes as a result of proceeds from the sale of the university’s partnership interest in GW Hospital, which is owned by Universal Health Services, Inc.
“George Washington University faculty are key to our mission of education, research and patient care, and endowed professorships are critical to our recruiting efforts and ability to further this mission,” said President Mark S. Wrighton, PhD. “These professorships are a very important investment in the long-term positive impact our university will have on society.”
Nine endowed professorships will go to the School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) to support a broad range of disciplines and enable the school to recruit and retain the best faculty, researchers and clinicians for years to come.
“Investing these funds into our academic medical enterprise represents a forward stride toward our goal of being D.C.’s premier health care organization,” said Barbara L. Bass, MD, RESD ’86, professor of surgery, Walter A. Bloedorn Chair of Administrative Medicine, vice president for health affairs, dean of SMHS and CEO of The GW Medical Faculty Associates (GW MFA).
“The recognition of the GW academic medical enterprise as a national health care destination,” she added, “will fundamentally be built on clinical performance excellence, but it is renowned faculty who bring transformative clinical expertise, discovery and innovation that will fuel that success. These endowed professorships are evidence of our commitment to that future.”
