Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis has announced a $1.5 million gift from Jerre and Mary Joy Stead to endow a chair in international philanthropy at its Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

The Stead Family Chair in International Philanthropy — the school's tenth endowed chair — will support original research in the practice of international philanthropy as well as the education of new philanthropic leaders for the world stage. In addition, the new chair is expected to attract and retain scholars with outstanding expertise in the field as well as top students and professionals from around the world interested in global philanthropy. In recognition of the gift, which will be matched by the university, the school is creating the Stead Family Medal for International Philanthropy, which will be awarded every two years to one or more individuals who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and leadership in all aspects of international philanthropy.

Jerre Stead, a member of the Lilly School's board of visitors, is chairman and CEO of IHS, Inc., a global information services company. In addition to IHS, Stead has served as chairman and/or CEO of seven major national and international corporations, including AT&T Global Business Communications Systems, AT&T Global Information Solutions, NCR Japan, Square D Corporation, Ingram Micro, and Legent Corporation, and on numerous corporate and nonprofit boards. Currently, he chairs the board of the Alzheimer's Research Institute and Garrett-Evangelical Seminary and is a member of the Salk Institute board. Mary Joy Stead has served on the University of Iowa's board of directors since 1999 and, with her husband, is chairing a fundraising campaign for that university.

"Interest in philanthropy is expanding rapidly all around the world," said Gene Tempel, founding dean of the Lilly School. "We thank the Stead family for their visionary leadership in creating this new chair. It will increase our ability to develop a new generation of philanthropic leaders prepared to succeed in a global environment and to lead and shape the new ways in which formal philanthropy is emerging in other countries and cultures. Jerre and Mary Joy are generous and enthusiastic givers of their time, talent, and treasure. They are exceptional, exemplary philanthropists and we are grateful for their engagement with and support for this important work."