Iowa State University
College of Human Sciences


Dean Hellen LeBaron Hilton Endowed Chair

About the Dean Helen LeBaron Hilton Endowed Chair

Helen LeBaron Hilton served as dean of the Iowa State University College of Home Economics from 1952 until 1975. Throughout her career, she was recognized as a visionary leader in the home economics profession and as an advocate who advanced the status of women and the well-being of children.

During her tenure as dean, the College increased in student enrollment, faculty, and programs.

Hilton was the first chairperson of the Association of Administrators of Home Economics of the National Association of State Universitities and Land-Grant Colleges. She was one of the first members of the American Home Economics Association Foundation Board of Trustees.

President Eishenhower appointed her to the national committeee of the 1960 White House Conference on Children and Youth. At the request of President Kennedy, she served on a a panel of consultants on vocational education for the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

Her bequest of over $1.4 million established the largest fully endowed faculty chair fund to date at Iowa State University.

Criteria for the Hilton Chair

Please note, these criteria are under review and may be revised. The goal of the Chair is to provide flexibility and opportunities to pursue priority areas deemed central to the College mission. The focus of the chair may vary considerably from year to year.

The appointment will vary in length from one semester to one academic year, depending on the priorities for the College and the preferences of the individual selected to serve in the chair poisition.

The candidate may come from academe, business, media, industry, government, or other related agencies and organizations.
The candidate must be visionary and have excellent academic credentials consistent with the focus.

Nominations

Send nominations for the 2008-09 Hilton Chair to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education by Nov. 14, 2007.



Current Chair

Past Chairs and Foci

2006 Michael H. Morris, Syracuse University— entrepreneurship

2005 Judith Stern, University of California-Davis—obesity

2004 John Kraut, Ithaca College—rural aging issues

2003 Stephen Brookfield, University of St. Thomas—critical thinking

2002 B. Joseph Pine and James Gilmore, Strategic Horizons, LLC—mass customization

2001 Allison Engel, freelance journalist—promoting the impact of family and consumer sciences programs

2000-Fall Mihaly Csikszentmihaly, University of Chicago—family life and creativity

2000-Spring Louis E. Grivetti, University of California-Davis—nutrition

1999 Frank D. Gunston, St. Andrews University, Scotland—food science

1998 Shirley Zimmerman, University of Minnesota—family policy

1997 Betty Sue Flowers, University of Texas—scenario building and transformation

1996 James A. Autry, Meredith Corporation—leadership for change

1995 Allison Engel, freelance journalist—outreach