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Your gift matters

A gift in support of our activities at Stanford will enhance genuine understanding of the histories, cultures, and languages of Islam and Muslim societies.  Your foresight will

  • Equip the next generation of leaders with knowledge about Islam and Muslims through innovative courses, academic seminars, and research or internship opportunities.

  • Fund opportunities for our students to conduct research, study languages, and pursue internships and service opportunities across the globe.

  • Support innovative faculty research and scholarship.

  • Deepen our public and K-12 outreach efforts.

  • Develop new initiatives to enhance Islamic Studies at Stanford.

Make a gift

Stanford has a major responsibility to shape students’ knowledge and perception of the world. We must be able to teach them about the great cultures, literatures, religions, and societies through programs like the  Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies. My aim is to strengthen this program by adding faculty experts to departments across the humanities and social sciences and providing the language training necessary to meet growing student interest.
Richard Saller
Vernon R. and Lysbeth Warren Anderson Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences

Our Donors

We express our deep gratitude for our donors’ foresight in ensuring a solid foundation for the study of Islam and Muslim societies at Stanford University, and invite you to explore ways to support our activities.

Sohaib and Sara Abbasi

Stanford University’s School of Humanities and Sciences announced in September 2003 a gift of $2.5 million from Sohaib and Sara Abbasi to establish and endow a new Program in Islamic Studies. With matching funds from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s gift to the school, the program’s core endowment totalled $5 million.

Sohaib and Sara Abbasi

“Our decision to endow this program at Stanford is based on a desire to see expanded opportunities for the study of Islam in Stanford’s curriculum,” stated Sohaib Abbasi, a former executive at Oracle. “We are privileged to participate in the formation of the Islamic Studies Program at Stanford that will foster a better understanding of Islam, Muslims and the Islamic civilization. We look forward to Stanford becoming one of the pre-eminent institutions for Islamic studies in North America.”

Stanford University is recognized as one of the premier institutions of higher learning in the world. By significantly expanding the university’s existing curriculum, the university plans to create a center of excellence in Islamic studies that will provide both a core understanding of Islam – its tenets, culture and history – and an understanding of the relationship of Islam to contemporary politics and society

Lysbeth Warren Anderson

The Lysbeth Warren Anderson professorship in Islamic Studies has been established with a gift from Lysbeth Warren Anderson (Lysbeth Warren Anderson is also known, since her 2002 marriage to John Working, as Lysbeth Working; she retains her previous name in Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences communications) and with matching funds from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The chair holder will be a faculty member specializing in Islam in the Department of Religious Studies and a leader in the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies within the School of Humanities and Sciences.

An alumna of the School of Humanities and Sciences, Lysbeth earned her bachelor’s degree in 1954, majoring in social science and social thought. Her many interests include population problems, environmental protection, community healthcare, and educational policy issues. Extensive world travel allows her to blend interests in adventure, anthropology, geology, history, religion, and birding.

Lysbeth has been a long-time supporter and volunteer for Stanford. Her past gifts include the school’s endowed deanship, the Vernon R. and Lysbeth Warren Anderson Dean of Humanities and Sciences.

Giving Opportunities

To further the study of Islam at Stanford, we are actively seeking support for our general operations and specific projects. Your contribution may take the form of an expendable gift, annual pledge or endowment. Endowment gifts provide naming opportunities for specific programs.

General Operations/ Program Support

Your gift supplements our research and teaching initiatives by bringing visitors from around the world to the campus for academic and public events, including lectures, workshops, conferences and arts events.

Professorships

An endowed professorship is the highest academic honor that the university can bestow upon a member of its faculty. The holders of Stanford’s approximately 400 endowed professorships represent the most distinguished scholars in the university, and the donors of endowed professorships are among the university’s most generous and far-sighted benefactors. Endowing a professorship includes an opportunity to name the endowed chair and enables Stanford to expand its course offerings. Your gift may qualify for matching funds. We are currently seeking funds to endow a Professorship in Turkish Studies at Stanford University.

Lectureships

Endowed funds support lecturers and the costs associated with their coursework, ensuring a wide range of rich offerings for Stanford students.

Visiting Scholars

Complementing the teaching of the Stanford faculty, scholars and professionals are recruited to teach Stanford students. Endowed funds support these visiting professors and the costs associated with their coursework, ensuring a wide range of rich offerings for students.

Make a gift    

Your donation will support our general operations or your choice of specific projects  (such as endowed professorships, student fellowships, or lecture series).

Your contribution may take the form of an expendable gift, annual pledge, or endowment. Endowment gifts provide naming opportunities for specific programs and may be matched.  Your gift is tax-deductible under applicable rules. As a unit of Stanford University, the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies qualifies for tax-exempt status under Section 501 (c)(3).

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