The University of Michigan has announced a $6.25 million gift from professor emerita and alumna Ilene Forsyth in support of its Department of History of Art.

The gift will fund the Ilene H. Forsyth Distinguished Professorship, which will be awarded to a tenured professor who has exemplified a longstanding commitment to and a distinguished record of scholarship in the field of art history. With the goal of opening the door for U-M and the School of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) to branch out and connect with art history scholars on the global level, the gift also will create the Forsyth Visiting Graduate Student Fellowship for students who wish to further their studies in art history, with a focus on international students.

Forsyth, who taught art history at U-M for thirty-five years before retiring in 1997, has contributed a total of nearly $15 million to the department to date. Her previous gift of $8.2 million in 2019 established a professorship in medieval western European art and the Ilene H. Forsyth Fund, which supports high-impact faculty initiatives, a postdoctoral fellowship, and graduate studies. In addition, she has established the Ilene H. Forsyth Chamber Arts Endowment Fund, the Ilene H. Forsyth Choral Union Endowment Fund, the Karl V. Hauser & Ilene H. Forsyth Endowment Fund, and three endowments at the University Musical Society.

"We are so thankful for Dr. Forsyth and her longstanding commitment to our department, college, and university and for pushing the boundaries of art historical scholarship," said Christiane Gruber, department chair and professor of Islamic art history. "This distinguished professorship and graduate student fellowship showcase LSA as a leader in art history teaching and research. We are excited about the educational, scholarly, and mentorship opportunities this extraordinary gift will provide for faculty and students from across the world."