The Suzanne Wilson Barnett Chair of Contemporary China Studies
On May 2, Professor Emerita of History Suzanne Wilson Barnett stood at a podium in Trimble Forum, the guest of honor at a surprise announcement about the Asian Studies Program. “Six days ago, I was told the nature of this event, and since then, I have been trying to figure out what is happening,” she said with impish delight in her eyes. “Maybe I can get there by a roundabout reference to Roman emperors. Under very different circumstances from ours here today, at least one emperor, on his deathbed, is said to have said, ‘I think I am becoming a god!’ Well, I think I am becoming a chair!”
It was true. President Isiaah Crawford, members of the campus community, and friends of the university had gathered to celebrate the creation of The Suzanne Wilson Barnett Chair of Contemporary China Studies, established through a gift from The Trimble Foundation. The university will search for a new faculty member in a social science discipline to hold the position named in Suzanne’s honor.
“The new chair and the enhanced focus on China will grow Puget Sound’s international reputation in the interdisciplinary study of Asian societies, where we already excel,” said President Crawford. “Faculty and students across a range of disciplines will gain new opportunities for research abroad, for creating transpacific partnerships, and for establishing themselves as authorities in a dynamic and thriving region that is growing at more than twice the rate of the United States. It is an exciting time in the Pacific Rim and an important moment in the history of Puget Sound.”
Suzanne taught at Puget Sound from 1973 to 2007 and was a central figure in the launch of the Asian Studies Program. A Harvard University graduate, exceptional teacher, and respected scholar, she shared her enthusiasm for Chinese history and for disciplined, effective writing with thousands of students throughout her distinguished career.
The endowed chair is a bold step for the Asian Studies Program, and according to Suzanne, one auspicious trip to China in May 1983 set this course of action. President Emeritus Phil Phibbs and his wife, Gwen, had led a group of 23, including Suzanne as a scholar in residence, as well as Robert (Bob) Trimble ’37 and his wife, Genevieve.
“I delighted in meeting Bob, who was born in 1915 in Fuzhou, Fujian province, China, where his father was a medical missionary and the family lived until returning to the U.S.,” Suzanne said. “Bob loved rediscovering China, now new and newer.”
That trip inspired Bob to reconnect with his alma mater, and The Trimble Foundation has since made numerous gifts to Puget Sound, supporting student scholarships, faculty exchanges, visiting scholars, and capital projects critical to the college’s mission.
“The Trimble family has expressed confidence in the University of Puget Sound and its faculty, students, and staff that will endure. That is what an endowed chair does—endure,” Suzanne said, addressing the Trimbles in closing. “I think I can say with bold assurance that you will find Puget Sound at the ready to meet the challenge of your gift. What a moment this is for Puget Sound!”
