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Benson
Family Chair in Business and Economic History
E. Wayne Carp, a nationally recognized authority on the history of
adoption, has been named to the Benson Family Chair in Business
and Economic History, Pacific Lutheran University's first endowed
chair.
Carp has taught
American history at PLU for 18 years and served as chair of the
History Department for six years. His expertise in the history of
adoption has led to the publication of dozens of scholarly journal
articles, speaking appearances at conferences and seminars and
regular appearances in the national news media. Carp received his
Ph.D. in American history from the University of California,
Berkeley, in 1981.
His recent books
include Adoption Politics: Bastard Nation and Ballot Initiative
58 (2004), Adoption in America: Historical Perspectives
(editor, 2002), and Family Matters: Secrecy and Disclosure in the
History of Adoption (1998). A recognized expert on legal
issues, he has served as a consultant, deponent, and expert
witness throughout North America in cases that concern "wrongful
adoption," secrecy in adoption, and the history of adoption
disclosure laws. His current research centers on Jean Paton and
her influence in shaping the U.S. and Canadian adoption reform
movements.
Carp’s awards
include two National Endowment for the Humanities fellowships,
PLU’s University Faculty Excellence Award and the National
Historical Society Book Prize. In August, 2007, he was awarded a
Fulbright
Distinguished Lecturer
grant for
teaching in South Korea during Spring 2008.
Provost James
Pence said it is particularly fitting that Carp is the first
holder of the endowed chair.
“Wayne Carp’s
dedication to teaching and scholarship has long been recognized at
PLU as a model of our university’s commitment to academic
excellence. His stature as a scholar and teacher make him an
appropriate choice for the first PLU endowed chair position. In
addition, Professor Carp has expressed a strong interest in
developing courses in business and economic history to enrich our
curriculum,” Pence said.
The endowment
underwrites the salary and benefits of the holder of the chair and
provides support for curriculum development, research and travel.
Carp also will have support to organize conferences, lectures and
academic symposia on topics related to the history of business,
entrepreneurship and economic development.
“I am deeply
grateful for this honor that PLU has conferred on me,” Carp said.
“Both the PLU community and I are tremendously indebted to the
Bensons’ generosity for endowing a Chair in Business and Economic
History."
“Through their
vision in advancing excellence in scholarship and research, I will
be able to provide the faculty and students of PLU with a rich
program of new courses, outstanding speakers and top-level
conferences.”
The Benson Family
Last year a gift
from the Benson Family Foundation of Portland, Ore., created the
first fully funded, endowed chair at PLU. The Benson Family
Foundation was created by Dale and Jolita Benson with a $3.4
million gift, the larger portion of which is intended for the
benefit of PLU as one of the independent foundation’s two
supported organizations.
The foundation
also supports St. Luke Lutheran Church in Portland, Ore., which
receives contributions for its social concerns and trust fund
committees. One of the purposes of the St. Luke trust fund
committee is to provide scholarships for students to attend PLU,
other Lutheran colleges and universities and Lutheran seminaries.
The Bensons both
attended PLU in the early 1960s. Dale Benson earned a bachelor’s
degree in history at PLU in 1963 and both a master’s and a
doctorate from the University of Maine. He says his career in the
financial industry has been heavily influenced by his liberal arts
background and understanding of the historical roots of the
American economy.
“We envision the
Benson Family Chair as providing the opportunities for students in
history, economics and business to understand the political,
social and philosophical contexts of current economic history,”
Dale Benson said.
The Bensons
are parents of four daughters, three of whom are PLU graduates.
One of the purposes of the Benson Family Foundation is to involve
the Benson children and their families in charitable activities on
behalf of supported organizations.
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