The gift will significantly enhance the Religious Studies curriculum by complementing its current strengths in Jewish studies and Islamic studies.

In making the announcement, Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton said, "Through this very generous gift, Stella Darrow has made a lasting contribution to scholarship in Religious Studies at Washington University, which will be felt for generations to come. We are grateful for her strong commitment to this important field, which will allow us to foster a deeper understanding of the historical, philosophical, theological and social impact of the Roman Catholic Church. And it will create new opportunities for greater interaction with the St. Louis Catholic community."

Ahmet T. Karamustafa, Ph.D., associate professor of history and of Religious Studies and director of the Religious Studies program, said that the new chair will be a great addition.

"Attracting top-notch faculty has been a consistent goal of the program, and this new professorship will allow us to recruit a prominent scholar in the area of Catholicism," Karamustafa said. "Christianity is one of five areas of concentration in our program, and I am pleased that we can now strengthen its place in our curriculum. We are very grateful for this wonderful donation."

Student interest continues to grow in the study of religion at the University. The number of students majoring in religious studies has been rising steadily over the past decade and topped 40 for the first time in the University's history this spring.

Edward S. Macias, Ph.D., executive vice chancellor and dean of Arts & Sciences, said that the University soon will begin recruitment efforts to fill the chair.

"This remarkable gift will allow us to recruit an internationally renowned scholar who is deeply committed to exploration of Catholic thought and history," Macias said. "This is an important new position that will significantly improve the level of learning and awareness of a religious, cultural and political tradition that has been one of the key influences on our human experience and history."

The University has approximately 1,200 students registered at the Catholic Student Center, a figure up 20-fold from a decade ago when the Rev. Gary Braun, director of the Washington University Catholic Student Center, joined the University.

Braun estimates about 20 percent-30 percent of the student population at Washington University is Catholic.

"I believe that the professorship will create an important new link between the University's academic community and the Catholic Student Center, and I hope it will result in a deepening of students' understanding of Roman Catholic thought and history," Braun said.

Creating a richer, deeper Catholic experience is important to Darrow, a native St. Louisan who was educated by Sacred Heart nuns and a 1931 graduate of Arts & Sciences. Her commitment goes back to a half-century ago, when she was part of a group of men and women who provided the financial support to strengthen the Newman Center on campus and provide it with its present facility at 6352 Forsyth Blvd.

During those early years, Darrow helped run the Newman brunches, which raised funds to support the ministry of then-director Monsignor Gerard Glynn. In 1991, Braun changed the name to the Catholic Student Center at Washington University.

Darrow has been an ardent supporter of the University for many years, as was her late husband, Edward. Both felt strongly that they should support their alma maters.

A 1937 graduate of Colgate University, Edward Darrow gave an endowed professorship to his alma mater. At Washington University, Stella Darrow established a scholarship for medical students in memory of her father, Albert F. Koetter.

The Washington University Libraries also hold a special place in her heart. As a former librarian, she has been active with the libraries for many years and has served on its library council and its National Council.