Bob and Judy Charles have given a $1.5 million gift to create an endowed chair at the University of Colorado at Boulder's School of Education, the education school's first endowed chair.
The Bob and Judy Charles Endowed Chair in Education will permanently fund a faculty position in the School of Education, while also providing additional research funds for the honorary recipient of the chair. Margaret Eisenhart, a professor of educational anthropology and research methodology who has been at CU-Boulder since 1987, has been named as the chair's first holder.
"The university is deeply grateful to receive this gift to establish the first endowed chair in our School of Education," said Chancellor Richard L. Byyny. "Endowments are crucial to the success of the University of Colorado at Boulder, because they are an investment in the future of our faculty and students."
The Charleses have been long-time supporters of CU-Boulder, most recently establishing an endowed chair at the College of Music. They also have supported internships for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Leeds School of Business, Norlin Library and the athletic program.
"I am a CU graduate from the School of Education, and Bob is currently serving on their development board," Judy Charles said. "Because of his present association with the School of Education, we have become aware of their challenge to keep quality professors. We are happy to help with this challenge by endowing a chair."
Charles, a second-generation CU-Boulder alumna, received her bachelor's degree in education in 1959 and taught elementary school. She served on the board of the University of Colorado Foundation Inc. She also has been active in many community organizations outside the university, including having served as a board member of the Ronald McDonald House in Denver.
"Education has always been a priority for us," she said. "While raising our family, we stressed education to our three children by encouraging and expecting them to always do their best at school. I was always involved with school activities while they were in the Boulder Valley School District. Bob emphasized education through our McDonald's business by giving scholarships at the high schools and helping to develop a program for "at risk" students in the Boulder Valley School District."
Bob Charles, a native of Chicago, moved to Boulder in 1965 with his wife Judy to manage Boulder's first McDonald's restaurant on 28th Street. By the 1990s, he operated numerous McDonald's franchises and was heralded as the "Burger Baron of Boulder County." He pioneered the double drive-through concept and co-developed McDonald's "happy meal."
He co-founded the original Ronald McDonald House in Denver and participated in the development of the new Ronald McDonald House. He also founded the McPride program for at-risk high school students. Through the years his companies have supported numerous community efforts benefiting children.
Professor Eisenhart specializes in the study of culture, gender relations, women in science and women's experiences and achievement in elementary and secondary schools, colleges, universities and workplaces.
She created and devotes time to Simply the Best!, an after-school science and technology program she began in 1999 for middle school girls in downtown Denver. The program's goals are to cultivate an interest in science among minority girls, while providing training in basic and sophisticated technology skills to increase their ability to succeed in school and the workplace after completing their education.
"Margaret's work on women and science has received a great deal of attention nationally, and she was just recently elected to the National Academy of Education," said Lorrie Shepard, dean of the School of Education. "We are grateful to the Charleses for their efforts in helping us retain and support one of our most distinguished teachers and researchers."
Endowed chairs provide supplemental compensation and incremental assistance to distinguished faculty positions within the university. They help attract, honor and retain the best teaching and research talent to a university.
CU-Boulder now has 25 endowed chairs.