22 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN GIFT | ALUMNI ʼ77 ʼ78 ʼ08 ʼ11 Endowed Engineering Deanship Announced A $7.5 million commitment will advance research, fuel innovation and empower future generations of engineers. Lewis (Lew) Hay III ’77 ’08P ’11P and Sherry A. Hay ’78 ’08P ’11P have made a commitment of $7.5 million to benefit the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. The gift creates an endowment that will support the dean of the Rossin College and will formally name the Lewis Hay III ’77 ’08P ’11P and Sherry A. Hay ’78 ’08P ’11P Deanship. “When Lehigh receives gifts of this magnitude, we are better able to make a future where interdisciplinary, real-world problems are solved, students experience even better outcomes and our reputation for innovation and creativity grows,” said President Joseph J. Helble ’82. “The Hays’ generosity will advance the Rossin College’s agenda by providing support for strategic research priorities and initiatives and enhancing Lehigh’s ability to think creatively without constraint and innovate in engineering education.” Continuing the Momentum The commitment from the Hays comes as Lehigh pursues the goals of its Inspiring the Future Makers strategy. By supporting areas like seed funding for new programs, infrastructure and faculty recruitment and development, the Hays’ endowment will help the dean continue this momentum and take advantage of emerging opportunities, boost cutting-edge research and support outstanding researchers and scholars. “The Hays’ generosity represents a transformative investment in the future of Lehigh engineering education and innovation,” said Stephen P. DeWeerth, professor and dean of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. “It empowers us to attract visionary leaders, drive groundbreaking research and create even more opportunities for Lehigh to shape the next generation of engineers. This enduring support from the Hay family enhances our ability to address global challenges, foster interdisciplinary collaboration and drive excellence across all of our programs.” DeWeerth will formally be installed as the Lew and Sherry Hay Dean of Engineering as part of the university’s Founder’s Weekend tradition in October. Connecting to Lehigh’s History When asked about the inspiration for their gift, the Hays emphasized the importance of supporting people and connecting to Lehigh’s history. For Lew Hay, it was a chance to honor his time at Lehigh and the education he received as an electrical engineer. “I went from a fresh-faced first-year showing up and learning at Lehigh, a top-tier engineering school, to many years later having the opportunity to help. Having our name associated with the engineering deanship excited me the more I spoke with Dean DeWeerth, Provost Nathan Urban and President Helble,” he said. Similarly, Sherry Hay hoped that naming “the deanship would reflect Lew’s time there especially and also remind others that Lehigh was and is a powerhouse of engineering.” Urban noted that the naming of a deanship is a special event. “It’s unlike naming a building or a room. While a building is more tangible and visible, we build new buildings much more frequently than we create new colleges and deanships,” Urban said. “I think that it is highly appropriate that this deanship be named for the Hay family, given Lew’s critical leadership in the energy industry and in areas of energy policy for this country.” Naming the deanship also underscores the value the Hays place on preserving Lehigh’s interdisciplinary and welcoming culture.—Janet Norwood A gift from Sherry A. Hay ’78 ’08P ’11P and Lew Hay ’77 ’08P ’11P created an endowment supporting the dean of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. “THE HAYS’ GENEROSITY REPRESENTS A TRANSFORMATIVE INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF LEHIGH ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND INNOVATION.” — Stephen P. DeWeerth, professor and dean of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science COURTESY OF LEWIS & SHERRY HAY
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