Endowed Dean Elevates Opportunity in Lohr College of Engineering

Jerry Lohr and Bruce Berdanier are ushering in a new era of excellence through endowed faculty positions for the Lohr College of Engineering.

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Over 25 years ago, Bruce Berdanier was asked what he’d like to accomplish in higher education. As a new assistant professor at the time, he answered that he’d like to become a dean someday.

Berdanier reached that goal, having served as the dean of the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering since 2018.

Thanks to the generosity of Jerry Lohr, Berdanier has achieved an even bolder goal: he’s taken his career to the next level through an endowed dean’s position.

With Lohr’s gift of $5 million, the Lohr Endowed Dean of the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering will provide $200,000 or more annually in perpetuity for current and future deans to use strategically for the benefit of the college. Berdanier is the first holder of the position.

Jerry sees that for us to move into new areas of research and student competitiveness, we will need more people with more expertise than we can achieve without external support like this endowment. I want to take another step forward, and Jerry has made another step possible.

Bruce Berdanier | Dean of the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering

In addition to boosting SDSU’s competitive edge, endowed positions bring financial resources, prestige, and stability to the university. The added funding helps to attract the best and brightest minds from across the globe, heightening research efforts and travel opportunities available to students and faculty alike. Simply adding endowed positions at State helps to bolster recruitment and retention: professors like Berdanier have the chance to better instruct and impact their students, while Jackrabbits have the opportunity to learn from experts in their field of study.

“Our students are awakening to the concept that they are learning from engineering, math, science, and technology programs that are on par with any of the other nationally recognized programs,” said Berdanier. “This recognition just gives them more confidence in their abilities and the value of their degree as they compete throughout the world in their career.”

The Lohr Endowed Dean position is the latest in a series of strategic steps for the university to reach an overall goal of 50 endowed professors or endowed chairs among its faculty. These positions attest to the premier stature of SDSU and the caliber of its staff, offering a signature educational experience unlike anywhere else.

The Lohr Endowed Dean will open doors in academic programs and research avenues, fostering a new generation of leaders and thinkers to someday follow in the footsteps of Lohr and Berdanier.