The Ed and Marilyn Wixson Endowed Professorship of Mathematics was created by the couple, who are both faculty members at Plymouth State, to help math instructors pursue scholarly activities.
The new professorship will celebrate and recognize faculty in the Department of Mathematics who are exemplary models of teaching, scholarship and service, or who show strong promise to become excellent instructors in the field. The three-year professorship will give preference to faculty members at an early stage of their career that will have a better chance of advancement.
The Wixons were inspired to begin this Professorship after learning of the first University endowed Professorship in the spring of 2006.
“Throughout my career, I’ve thought I’d like to do something for the faculty, and announcement of the Stevens-Bristow Endowed Professorship at President Steen’s investiture matched my concept,” Ed Wixson said in a University press release, “I’ve heard young faculty express how difficult it is to balance the demands of teaching and the expectation for scholarship. It’s also very challenging financially. So we knew that our endowment would have slightly different criteria, in that it would focus on faculty who are early in their career.”
The chosen professor will receive an annual financial award for three years and will need to give a public lecture during the first year of their professorship.
A committee appointed by the President of PSU will include Provost Bernier, John Barry, chairman of the Mathematics Department, and one other person from outside the department. This committee will choose the eligible Professor.
Ed Wixson co-chaired a recent fund drive for Speare Memorial Hospital and had the opportunity to work with a consultant on issues and giving opportunities to keep donors interested.
According to Ed Wixson, in a recent press release, he wasn’t always philanthropic, “But you can learn to be,” he said as he and Marilyn Wixson thought about creating an endowment, and giving back, “If you reflect on your career, you see what a great place Plymouth State has been to work, and you say ‘let’s give something back,’ ” Marilyn Wixson said.
“You can’t help but be inspired by Plymouth State’s forward movement-not in just one direction but in so many areas: a thriving arts center, an expanded science center and library, one new residence hall and another one retrofitted; and our reputation for excellent programs,” Ed and Marilyn Wixson said together as they ticked off their list of remarkable influences.
“I’m a product of publicly funded education,” Ed Wixson said. “That’s part of the giving back, too – not just to Plymouth State, but to education.”
Marilyn Wixson taught at Holderness Central School for 10 years and has spent 22 years at Plymouth State, “I always saw my students as young professional teachers in training, and I enjoyed forming relationships with them,” she said.
Ed Wixson has served 17 years as chair of the mathematics department, three years as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and one year as Interim Dean of the College, during his 40 years of tenure.
Both Wixsons have also been involved in community service, from sitting on boards of directors to volunteering at a hospice house. In 2006, Ed Wixson was named New Hampshire Hospital Trustee of the Year for his work at Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth.