June 16,2000 UNT Inhouse publication: UNT creates Jewish studies minor

homepage

UNT creates Jewish studies minor

Howard Watt, who has been a Denton resident for 25 years, was searching for a way to show his gratitude to his city through support of UNT, Denton's largest employer.

"My wife and I live on Oak Street close to the university, and we have a lot of friends who teach there or whose children attended the university," says Watt, an attorney with Springer, Lyle & Watt LLP in Denton.

When Watt found out that one of those friends, Richard Golden, chair of the Department of History, wanted to start a Jewish studies program at UNT, Watt realized that he had found the way to support the university.

Watt and his wife, Maggie, created the Watt Family Endowment to help fund scholarships for undergraduate students enrolled in the new interdisciplinary minor in Jewish studies. The endowment will also support fellowships for graduate students who study Jewish topics.

The undergraduate minor in Jewish studies will be offered beginning in the Fall 2000 semester by the Department of History, which already offers minors in Asian studies and African-American studies. Golden will be the adviser for the Jewish studies program.

Golden says that although Jewish studies programs have recently been established at Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University, none have been established at any of the public universities in the North Texas region.

"I believed there was a need for a Jewish studies program at UNT because it is a secular university," Golden says. "There are approximately 40,000 to 50,000 Jews in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and we may be able to draw more Jewish students to UNT by offering this program. We hope to continue to gather financial and other support from the Jewish community."

However, the minor should attract students of all religions, he says.

"The university's religiously diverse student population will benefit from the exposure to and interaction with Jewish history, culture and thought," Golden says.

The Jewish studies minor will include courses taught in three arts and sciences departments Ð history, English, and philosophy and religious studies Ð and one course will be taught in the College of Music.

Golden says the Watt Family Endowment will be used to support faculty development, purchase library books and fund guest speakers in the Jewish studies program, as well as provide scholarships for students.

One scholarship will be in the name of Howard and Maggie Watt, and one will honor George Watt, Howard Watt's late father.

A self-employed manufacturer's representative for more than 40 years, George Watt was a member of two synagogues. He was a generous contributor to the Jewish Federation of Dallas and other Jewish charities.

The Department of History and College of Arts and Sciences will host a fund-raising dinner for the Watt Family Endowment and the Jewish studies program Sept. 16. The dinner is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the University Union, Silver Eagle Suite.

For further information, contact Golden at 565-2288.