Faculty at UNCG’s School of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) will receive additional support for research thanks to a planned gift from Judy Penny ’70, ’74 MA, ’89 PhD.
The gift will establish the Penny Family Faculty First Endowment and advance HHS faculty research, much of which is conducted in partnership with community members and stakeholders. Penny sees this fund as a “win-win” for faculty – especially young faculty – and the University.
“In their first year or two, faculty are inundated with teaching and class preparation, but it’s really important for them to establish a line of research. This is a way to help them make that happen,” said Penny. “The other thing is it impacts the stature of our university to have more research occurring on campus.”
This Faculty First endowment is aligned with the goals of the School of Health and Human Sciences. “This gift helps us continue to foster faculty excellence in the areas of scholarship and teaching,” said Dean Carl Mattacola. “HHS is focused on and a leader in both research and community engagement. Judy’s support provides specialized funding for continued faculty success.”
Over the years, Dr. Penny has consistently been involved with the campus community. Her engagement includes serving as adjunct faculty, being a member of the University Catholic Center, helping to establish the Class of 1970 Scholarship Fund, and making previous gifts to support student leadership and service. She is currently a member of the HHS Alumni Leadership Council and the UNCG Foundation Board. “I’ve seen a large swath of the university and interacted with it,” she said. “I love the place.”
Her gift’s focus on faculty research is appropriate since Penny spent many years of her career either facilitating or conducting research. As a young professional, she worked as a consultant with faculty researchers and later built a career in educational research with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, Guilford County Schools, and University Research Associates, Inc.