Mayers Endowed Faculty Chair of Applied Anthropology
Dr. Marvin K. Mayers was a distinguished figure in anthropology. In recognition of his teaching, writing, research, and visionary leadership in this field, the Board of Trustees of the Dallas International University established the Marvin K. Mayers Chair of Applied Anthropology in 2012.
Marvin Keene Mayers, PhD, was born in Canton, OH in 1927. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College, his Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, and both a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Chicago. Dr. Mayers taught anthropology at several schools, including Wheaton, Texas SIL and Biola University. He also served as head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Wheaton, played a key role in establishing Biola’s Cook School of Intercultural Studies, and directed Texas SIL.
The initiative for endowing Dallas International’s first faculty chair began with the McKee family in memory of Margaret McKee, mother of Dr. Rob McKee and a wonderful friend to many. Dr. McKee’s vision for the Mayers Chair was threefold: to honor Dr. Mayers, who was a major influence on his choice to use anthropology to serve minority-language Translation; to help keep Dallas International student costs low by providing salary support for the chair’s holder; and to honor a well-qualified faculty member of Dallas International’s Applied Anthropology Department.
Dallas International gratefully acknowledges the gifts of the McKee family members, friends of Margaret, and others instrumental in raising the $25,000 to establish the Mayers Endowed Faculty Chair.
A Dallas International faculty chair is considered fully endowed when donations reach the $1.5 million level. Gifts to the endowment may be made in cash, stocks and bonds, personal and real property, or through trusts or other planned arrangements. Gifts may also be made as pledges over a five-year period. Once a chair’s endowment reaches the full $1.5 million level, it will fund, whether fully or in part, an occupying professor’s salary and any job-related benefits.
Other Christian anthropologists or scholars who have been honored by gifts to the Mayers Chair are: Bill Merrifield, PhD (in memoriam); Carol McKinney, PhD; Jim Wheatley, MA; Tom Headland, PhD; Jim Yost, PhD; Elinor Abbot, PhD; Sherwood Lingenfelter, PhD; Judith Lingenfelter, PhD; Karl Franklin, PhD; Barbara Moore, PhD; Dan Shaw, PhD; and Larry Yost, PhD. Thos honored in memorium: Ken Pike, PhD and Joice Franklin, MA.
As of February 2022, over $69,000 has been raised for this endowment. For questions regarding contributions to the Mayers Endowed Faculty Chair of Applied Anthropology, please contact the Dallas International Development Office at 972-708-7552 or development@diu.edu.