Announcing the Polly Browne Distinguished Chair

In a previous edition of the Bethany Magazine, we reported the passing of Dr. Polly Browne in December 2020. Polly was instrumental in helping to establish the Education Department at Bethany, where she also taught courses in classroom management, fine arts, health and PE, linguistics, literacy, mathematics, and social studies. Over the course of Polly's thirty-five-year career as a teacher and professor, many students were touched by her passion for teaching and sharing the gospel.

Polly's enthusiasm for serving her Lord and Savior, while helping her students discover that same joy in serving God's Kingdom, recently moved a group of friends and supporters to establish the Polly Browne Distinguished Chair in the College's Education Department. The Distinguished Chair provides funding for a professorship with the secondary goal that Bethany education students will have opportunities to work directly with elementary through high school students enhancing their reading skills—a lifelong passion for Polly.

The Chair is supported through an endowment created by this generous donation. Bethany and these friends of Polly are now encouraging others who've been touched by Polly's life as an educator to help support the fund. The group's original gift provides up to $200,000 in matching funds to encourage others to support the fund. Anyone contributing to the Polly Browne Distinguished Chair will have their gift matched dollar-for-dollar until the funds have been used.

If you would like to contribute to the Polly Browne Distinguished Chair Fund at Bethany Lutheran College, please call the Advancement Office at 507-344-7749 or visit blc.edu/WaysToGive.