University Leadership Honors

Name: SDState Alumni & Foundation
Price range: $

The University Leadership Honors ceremony is a way of celebrating today what will live on forever.

Each year, the event celebrates the outstanding faculty members appointed to endowed positions and the generous donors whose investments in these roles ensure that academic excellence and innovation at SDSU thrive for generations to come.

President Dunn is standing with a newly endowed holder and the donor who started the endowment, who holds a plaque with a medallion.

College dean places a medallion around the neck of a newly endowed holder.

New endowed faculty member smiles while standing next to the donor who started the endowment.

Our people are our reason to celebrate, and the next chapter of SDSU would look very different without the donors and scholars who make named endowed positions possible.

The nine newest endowment holders at SDSU stand side by side on stage smiling, wearing their medallions.

2026 Honorees

At the fifth annual University Leadership Honors in September 2026, SDSU honored its newest cohort of endowment holders — the highest honor the university can bestow upon a faculty or staff member. The nine individuals and the donors who made their positions possible were recognized at the event.

The 2026 honorees are pictured above, from left to right:

Dr. Crystal Levesque - Rick Wahlstrom Endowed Chair in Swine Production (Funded by friends of Richard Wahlstrom)
Dr. Christine Garst-Santos - Karen D. Stuck Endowed Director of the School of American and Global Studies (Funded by Karen D. Stuck)
Jason Sternhagen - Metzger Endowed Educator in Power Systems Engineering (Funded by Blair and Julie Metzger)
Dr. Andrew Robinette - Paul E. and Doris J. Moriarty Endowed Professor of Choral Activities (Funded by Paul E. and Doris J. Moriarty)
Dr. Kevin Kessler - Keith and Glynn Bartels Endowed Director of Athletic Bands (Funded by Keith and Glynn Bartels)
Dr. Alexis Stamatikos - Ethel Austin Martin Endowed Chair of Human Nutrition (Funded by Ethel Austin Martin)
Dr. Rouzbeh Ghabchi - John M. Hanson Endowed Professor in Structural and Construction Engineering (Funded by John M. Hanson)
Dr. Md. Faruque Hossain - Beavers Charitable Trust Endowed Educator in Heavy Construction (Funded by The Beavers Charitable Trust)
Keely Eagleshield - Larson Family Endowed Director of Wokini and Tribal Relations (Funded by the Larson Family)

Watch the 2026 University Leadership Honors Ceremony

Female professor stands while talking with three male students sitting at a table with their laptops open.

Male professor points and shows two students something on a piece of red farming equipment.

Why Endowments?

The power of endowments stems from both the everlasting nature of the opportunities they create and the abundance of possibilities for donors to make a difference. Endowments can support anything from individual positions, departments, or even an entire academic college.

Endowed faculty positions enhance SDSU’s national reputation, attract top talent, and strengthen research and educational opportunities that might not otherwise be possible.

Discover the Power of Philanthropy

Endowments

Creating an endowment means making a long-term investment in SDSU that will provide support for the students, faculty, and programs you care about for generations to come.

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Ways to Give

Whether you’re a first-time donor or a long-time supporter looking for new ways to make a bold impact, there are a variety of ways to donate to SDSU.

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Support SDSU Today

Your gift today can immediately support students, programs, and innovations across campus, helping to create opportunities that will impact Jackrabbits now and for generations to come.

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Endowments are a tremendous legacy. Think about it: not only do they impact our academic and research work today, endowments live on into the future. Is there anything more powerful than something that will live on throughout time?
— Provost Dennis Hedge

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