UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Government has raised more than $333,000 to create the James E. Holshouser Jr. Distinguished Professorship to honor the former North Carolina governor.
Along with state matching funds of $167,000, the professorship will total $500,000, which will be invested in an endowment. Proceeds will be used to supplement the salary of a top professor; the professorship could be used to promote a current professor or hire a new one, said Ann Simpson, the school's associate dean for development.
Simpson said more than 125 donors have contributed to the fund in Holshouser's name. The endowed chair is appropriate, she said, because Holshouser visits the school each year to talk to students in the master of public administration program.
"It's been a wonderful thing for students who are going to be our new town managers, county managers and public finance professionals to hear about his experiences in state government," she said.
An event on Dec. 13 will celebrate the creation of the Holshouser professorship.
Holshouser, a Republican, was governor of North Carolina from 1973 to 1977. He has also been active on higher education boards. He is a member of the UNC system's Board of Governors.
