$1 Million Gift Establishes the First Endowed Professorship at Husson University
Published on: December 2, 2014
BANGOR, MAINE – Husson University announced today that it received a gift of $1,004,000 to create the Dr. Phil Grant Distinguished Professorship in Management and Economics. This gift marks the first time an academic endowed professorship has been established in the history of this remarkable 116-year-old educational institution.
“I’ve spoken to numerous alumni about our faculty and they all talk about the lasting impact these talented educators have made on their lives,” said Dr. Robert A. Clark, CFA, president and CEO at Husson University. “One of the most beloved and respected faculty members ever to teach at Husson was Dr. Phil Grant. More than an inspirational professor, Phil cared about his students and helped give them the confidence they needed to be successful.”
The gift is being made possible by Dr. Phil and Kathy Grant of Birch Harbor, Maine. The professorship they are creating will be responsible for teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in Husson University’s College of Business. In addition, the faculty member who fills this position will be responsible for conducting applied research in economics and management at an internationally recognized level.
About Dr. Phil and Kathy Grant:
Dr. Grant began his career at Husson University in 1968 and served in numerous roles during his tenure with the institution. During his time with Husson, these roles included: chair of business administration, director of the Husson Management Institute, academic dean and dean of enrollment management. He designed six new programs of study within the business administration curricula. Grant also taught graduate and undergraduate courses in managerial economics and operations management.
Over the course of his 42-year career, he wrote and published 12 technical books and over 190 academic/professional papers. Perhaps Grant’s most significant contributions to the evolution of science in his fields are his development of the Effort-Net Return model of human motivation and satisfaction; his discovery of the Law of Escalating Marginal Sacrifice; and his mathematical proof that for business profit maximization, marginal revenue and marginal cost should not equate. He continues to write and is currently focused on advancing the science of performance econometrics.
In addition, Grant has 25 years of experience running a successful consulting business and helping over 100 Maine-based firms achieve their organizational objectives.
He retired from Husson University in 2010 as professor emeritus. Dr. Grant is a long-time advocate of the philosophy and direction of Husson University; especially its focus on preparing graduates for the workplace through professional training and experiential learning.
Grant is a University of Maine graduate and has a Bachelor of Science in engineering physics (1966), and a Master of Business Administration (1968). He earned his doctorate in 1973 and received an honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Husson in 2010 in recognition of his scholarship and service to the University.
Kathy Grant met her husband Phil while they were students at the University of Maine. Kathy graduated from UMaine with a degree in mathematics (1966). She earned her Master of Science in Business (MSB) from Husson University in 2004.
She has had a long and successful career as a member of the Creative Circle and Rubbermaid organizations. Kathy is also a highly respected high school and college algebra teacher. Over the course of her career, she has taught in public and private schools located in Brewer, Gouldsboro, Franklin and in her hometown of Howland. In later years, Kathy taught algebra, finite math, logic and statistics at Husson University. She also enjoys tutoring.
“Kathy and I always wanted to give back to Husson University. It has played such a prominent role in our lives,” said Dr. Phil Grant. “We feel an enormous amount of satisfaction knowing that our gift will help provide students with an exceptional learning experience in business administration.”
The family’s connection to Husson University does not stop with Phil and Kathy. Their two daughters, Karin and Leola, are both Husson graduates. Karin completed her undergraduate degree in marketing while Leola majored in management and went on to earn an MSB from Husson. Karin and her husband Chad, also a Husson graduate, own and manage successful grocery stores in Birch Harbor, Maine and Groveton, New Hampshire. Leola owns and operates successful Hannaford-supplied supermarkets in Milbridge and Columbia, Maine.
A celebration honoring Dr. Phil and Kathy Grant’s gift will take place on Friday, December 5, 2014 in the Kominsky Auditorium at 12 p.m. (noon) on Husson University’s Bangor, Maine campus in Peabody Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
For more than 100 years, Husson University has prepared future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson University has come to represent superior value in higher education. The Bangor campus and satellite education centers in Southern Maine, Wells and Northern Maine provide advanced knowledge in business; health and education; pharmacy studies; science and humanities; as well as communication. In addition, Husson University has a robust adult learning program. For more information visit Husson.edu