Upon reaching his 60th reunion, Stebbins chose to honor the ways Hamilton shaped his life both professionally and personally. He and his wife, Jane, have pledged $1.5 million to fund The Dick and Jane Stebbins Distinguished Visiting Professor of Applied Mathematics. This professorship will help Hamilton advance in the ever-evolving field of applied mathematics and will ensure faculty and students are leaders in technological fluency.
Dick and Jane
Stebbins
Endowed The Dick and Jane Stebbins Distinguished Visiting Professor of Applied Mathematics
When he enrolled as a student, Stebbins thought he might pursue a career in medicine. However, Hamilton’s spirit of “know thyself” soon found him searching for another course of study. Under the thoughtful counsel of Dean Winton Tolles, Stebbins instead completed a degree in history. Outside of the classroom, he was a member of the swim team and Alpha Delta Phi fraternity.
Following his graduation in 1964, Stebbins attended Tufts University where he earned a master’s degree in international politics from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. After his studies and his military service, he entered the banking industry and worked for Merrill Lynch before starting his own investment fund. Now, the Stebbinses are investing in the future of Hamilton students.
Over the course of his career, Stebbins experienced first-hand the impact emerging technologies have had on nearly every sector of the investment world. Having lived in Boulder, Colo., for many years, he also became familiar with the scientific research conducted at the University of Colorado. Stebbins thinks fondly of his time at Hamilton, acknowledging that the liberal arts education he received was vastly different from that of a large research institution. As he considered making a philanthropic gift, he said, “I wanted to do something for Hamilton so my little College on the Hill wouldn’t be left in the dust.”
The Stebbinses’ goal was to create an endowed fund that would support Hamilton forever — by giving today’s students the skills in applied mathematics that they can take into the world and ultimately become leaders in the field.
For more than two centuries, Hamilton has been known as a place where students develop strong written and oral communication skills, and that commitment has not wavered. Stebbins was delighted to learn that today’s students also acquire fluency in digital communications throughout their courses of study, regardless of their concentration.
The Stebbinses’ goal was to create an endowed fund that would support Hamilton forever — by giving today’s students the skills in applied mathematics that they can take into the world and ultimately become leaders in the field. Ngoni Munemo, vice president of academic affairs and dean of faculty, expressed excitement about this professorship. “It will be incredible to have this resource,” Munemo said.
As a field, applied mathematics uses mathematical principles to solve real-world problems and develop theoretical frameworks to explain and predict phenomena. Students are afforded the opportunity to use quantitative tools to investigate issues across a variety of disciplines such as the physical and biological sciences, engineering, and social sciences. The mathematical fields used in this area, and to which students are introduced, include differential equations, statistics, and topology.
Now residents of Santa Barbara, Calif., the Stebbinses still gather with friends from Hamilton who fondly remember their time on the Hill. He is grateful to have received an education that not only helped him pursue a successful career, but also provided lasting friendships. The couple hope this gift will inspire others to remember the strong foundations that Hamilton offers and join them in supporting future generations of curious students.
