American History Lectureship Established at Trinity College

Posted on: 03 May 2007

First major international investment for Trinity College’s Long Room Hub – supporting the humanities teaching and research in Ireland for the world

Mr Mark Pigott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PACCAR Inc, has made a generous donation to Trinity College Dublin to establish a new lectureship in American History. A graduate of Stanford University, Mr Pigott and his family are leading supporters of educational institutions across the globe.

This new post, dedicated to teaching and research in American history, marks a major stage in the consolidation and expansion of this commitment. Speaking at the announcement of his philanthropic gift towards the new lectureship, Mr Pigott said:
“This gift is another magnificent chapter in the wonderful long term relationship between Trinity College and the Pigott family. It was 160 years ago, that my relatives ventured forth to America and it seems fitting that we say thanks for their courage and our shared heritage by establishing a lectureship in American History.

“As an Irish American, and an advocate for quality education, I am delighted that Ireland’s premier university is prioritising the teaching of and research in American history under its Long Room Hub initiative. This lectureship will provide a platform for world class teaching and research into the many cultural facets that reflect and connect our great countries, the United States and Ireland. It is very special that this gift has made this educational dream a reality for the benefit of so many students.”

For over 70 years Trinity College, Ireland’s international university, has demonstrated a commitment to the teaching of the history of the United States as a subject in its own right – and not as an adjunct to Irish or European history. Several of the College’s most distinguished historians have devoted a great deal of time and effort to introducing generations of students to the unique character of America’s historical development.

Welcoming Mr Pigott’s generous donation, the Provost of Trinity College, Dr John Hegarty, stated: “By funding this new lectureship in American history, Mr Pigott has demonstrated his commitment to nurturing excellence in education and to fostering high quality research in American history at Trinity College.

“It also represents an important contribution to the development of the Trinity Long Room Hub, which is the flagship for developing humanities research in Trinity, bringing together a community of scholars around the university’s extraordinary rich literary and historical holdings. Mr Pigott’s gift will enhance the College’s research profile in the humanities and emphasises Trinity’s position as a leading global university for humanities research.”

Background
PACCAR Inc
Mark Pigott, OBE is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PACCAR Inc. PACCAR is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture and customer support of high-quality light, medium and heavy-duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt, DAF and Foden nameplates. It also provides financial services and distributes truck parts related to its principal business. PACCAR shares are traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market, symbol PCAR, and its homepage can be found at www.paccar.com.

Trinity College Dublin

According to the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) (1 November 2006), international peers have ranked the Arts and Humanities in Trinity at 39th in the world and 14th in Europe.