Deferred Gift from the Rouths Establish Professorship

Charlie and Mary '45 Routh of Greensboro, long-time friends and benefactors of Guilford College, have made a deferred gift to the College in support of Quaker Studies that will establish a new tenure-track professorship solely focused on Quakerism as well as a three-week-term course about Quaker testimonies and service.

"Throughout their lives and 72 years of marriage, Charlie and Mary have been passionate advocates for Guilford College, for service and for volunteerism," said President Jane Fernandes. "They have given generously and faithfully of their time, talents and philanthropy to advance causes they feel strongly about, and this gift is representative of that commitment. Their gift will ensure the continuation of Guilford's Quaker traditions and educational opportunities informed by Quaker testimonies."

The faculty member holding the Charles A. and Mary K. Routh '45 Professorship in Religious Studies for Global Quaker Studies will oversee students majoring and minoring in Quaker Studies, create opportunities for service learning trips rooted in Quaker testimony and connect students to Quaker communities who in service in other parts of the country and the world.

This endowed professorship secures Guilford College's place as a global leader in undergraduate Quaker studies and leadership formation, according to Wess Daniels, William R. Rogers Director of Friends Center and Quaker Studies.

The Charles A. and Mary K. Routh '45 Quaker Testimony and Service In Context Annual Class, offered each year during a three-week term, will be an experiential four-credit course, taken within the Quaker Studies major or minor. It will provide students with the opportunity to learn about and practice service from a Quaker perspective and how context shapes service.

"They will learn from Quakers in other communities locally and abroad and how they are living out their testimony through service," said Wess. "'Learning by doing' will be the focus of this course, as students participate in projects that support the work of these Quaker communities."

The Rouths believe in the importance of service and the learning inherently embedded in community work that enriches the individuals involved in service as well as those benefiting from it. Charlie has either orchestrated or participated in more than 150 disaster-relief trips, helping rebuild homes and communities. Mary often picks up a hammer and joins him.

As residents of Friends Homes, located near the College, the Rouths have been such ardent volunteers that the dining room is named in their honor. They have volunteered in building an outdoor boardwalk and rebuilding a deck. Charlie even has a repair shop on the premises. Mary also has a long history of volunteering and spent 20 years with Meals on Wheels and serving on various committees at Friends Homes.

The Rouths supported the restoration of Mary Hobbs Hall at Guilford, where Mary lived as a first-year student. Over her room in the hall, a plaque honors Mary and her sister. Recently, the College in conjunction with the Triad Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals presented Charlie and Mary with the Spirit of Philanthropy Award.