Scripps College Trustee Laura Vausbinder Hockett ’85 of Wellesley, Massachusetts, and her husband, Robert Hockett, have established the Laura Vausbinder Hockett Endowed Professorship with a gift of $1.5 million. Distinguished professors from all academic disciplines will be eligible for the Hockett Professorship, which begins in the 2019-2020 academic year, following completion of funding.
“There is no more important aspect of an excellent college than the strength of its faculty. Scripps College benefits from an extraordinary faculty, distinguished as teachers and scholars, and dedicated to the development of each student,” Laura Hockett said. “Our gift is designed to support and to strengthen that invaluable resource. We are deeply grateful to the Weinberg Family for their support and encouragement of the Hockett Professorship.”
The Professorship is the third in the “More Scripps” Campaign, which seeks to establish 10 new endowed chairs. The first two include the Weinberg Family Dean Professorship in Keck Science and the Malott Family Professorship in support of the Core Curriculum. The Hockett Chair is the first eligible for $500,000 in matching funds from the Weinberg Foundation Challenge announced in 2015, established by Trustee Betsy Weinberg Smith ’74 to encourage new professorships. The Weinberg Challenge will match each of the remaining seven qualifying professorships sought within the Campaign.
“The Hocketts’ generous gift will ensure Scripps’ ability to attract, recruit, and retain accomplished faculty and to sustain our commitment to academic excellence and distinguished scholarship,” said President Lara Tiedens. “The College is extremely fortunate to have such strong trustee leadership and support for this critical campaign priority.”
Laura Hockett joined the Scripps Board of Trustees in 2014. After graduating from Scripps College in 1985, she earned her MS in pharmacology from the University of Colorado, and her MBA from Harvard Business School. She went on to enjoy a successful career in marketing and sales in the healthcare industry and non-profit consulting. Robert Hockett earned his BA from Pomona College in 1985, his MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, and is a co-founder and Managing Principal of Covalent Partners LLC in the Boston area.
The Hockett Professorship brings the “More Scripps” Campaign to $131 million as of September 30, 2016, 75 percent of the $175 million goal.