Butler University recently received a $2 million estate commitment from Duane and Linnéa Leatherman ʼ75 to fund an endowed faculty position in the Jordan College of the Arts (JCA). The Duane and Linneéa Leatherman ʼ75 Endowed Professorship is the first documented endowed faculty position in the history of the Jordan College of the Arts. The gift supports two key elements of the University’s Boldly Butler strategic plan: strengthening Butler’s national prominence in the arts, and recruiting and retaining the nation’s leading faculty to provide transformational teaching and mentorship to Butler students.
“Endowing a professorship in JCA is a natural move for us,” the Leathermans said. “We have each supported–and been involved in–the arts virtually our entire lives. Linnéa was a theatre major her freshman year at Butler and experienced how important it is to have dedicated, talented, and creative faculty who truly care about their students. Our hope is that this gift will attract top-quality faculty in the tradition of JCA’s faculty members–past and present–so that present and future Butler students will continue to have the opportunity to learn and be mentored by some of the best faculty in the arts.”
Duane has been a faculty member in the Department of Mathematical Sciencessince 1983. In addition to teaching full time, he served for 31 years as a Faculty-in-Residence (FIR) in Butler’s Residential College, and two years in Schwitzer Hall, with Linnéa, providing mentorship, academic support, and social connection for students. Together, the couple regularly hosted students in their residence hall apartment and in the common areas for meals, social gatherings, impromptu drop-ins, and outside speakers such as Susan Bayh and Debby Knox, over their decades of living on campus. The couple sponsored students in community runs and walks, and introduced them to live theatre, folk dancing, and other musical and cultural events both on and off campus. Countless Butler students over the years have been affected by the Leathermans’ on-campus involvement.
Along with her longtime service to Butler students, Linneéa’s passion for Butler also includes being a proud 1975 alumna of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, a participant in the Butler University Swing Choir, a former Executive Director of the Butler Intercollegiate YMCA, and a five-year employee of the Butler Bookstore.
The donors share a passion for the arts. They met while acting in a production of Camelot in the Shelton Auditorium, and have participated in many theatrical productions together and individually over the years in both professional and community theatre. They are also longtime patrons of the Butler Arts and Events Center, where they enjoy attending productions at Clowes Memorial Hall and the University’s other venues. Through their planned gift, their established legacy of support for Butler students and faculty will continue in perpetuity.
“Excellent faculty are at the heart of everything we do at Butler University,” Lisa Brooks, Dean of the Jordan College of the Arts, says. “We are deeply grateful to Duane and Linnéa Leatherman for recognizing the importance of endowed faculty positions in our ability to recruit, recognize, and support outstanding faculty. This gift is a significant step forward in our strategic vision to serve as a national nexus of the arts, cultivating artist-citizens for the world.”
Emerging faculty members in the Dance, Music, and Theatre departments will be eligible for the Leatherman Endowed Professorship. Named professorships are awarded for a term of three years, after which they can either be renewed or rotate to a new recipient. The Leatherman Endowed Professorship will always rotate to a new recipient in keeping with the donors’ desire to support excellent promising faculty across multiple disciplines, subsequently impacting JCA students more broadly.
“Faculty who care deeply about our students are essential to fulfilling our mission,” Butler University President Jim Danko said. “Duane and Linnéa Leatherman have embodied this care through their longtime service as Faculty-in-Residence, and this generous gift ensures their legacy of mentorship will endure. This commitment is a vital investment in our Boldly Butler strategic vision, empowering us to attract, develop, and retain the nation’s leading scholars to teach and inspire the next generation of Bulldogs.”
Boldly Butler is our commitment to setting the standard for delivering a transformative education with local impact and global reach. To achieve this strategic vision, we’ve launched the Boldly Butler comprehensive fundraising campaign, the largest in Butler’s history, with a goal of raising $325 million by May 31, 2030. Learn more or make a gift today at boldly.butler.edu.