Professor Tom Kawula, infectious disease microbiologist at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, is the new Creighton Endowed Chair in Global Health.
The endowed position was created by the generosity of Jan and Jack Creighton, who through their support of WSU’s Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, held true to their goal to advance the university’s mission in global health.
“It’s an incredible honor to serve as the next Creighton chair,” Kawula said. “Through meaningful research, I’ve seen the significant impact this gift has made, not just on the university, but on people’s lives and careers.”
Kawula, who also serves as Senior Director for Global Health, takes over the new role from longtime WSU professor and Founding Director of the Paul G. Allen School for Global Health Guy Palmer, who served as the inaugural Creighton chair since 2009.
The Creightons became involved with philanthropy at WSU when their daughters, Julia (’83 Fine Arts) and Jennifer (’85 Bus. Adm.) were students at WSU Pullman.
Made possible by a $3 million gift in 2005, Palmer said the Creighton endowment provided WSU the opportunity to accomplish the goals and vision laid out early on for the Allen School.
Through meaningful research, I’ve seen the significant impact this gift has made, not just on the university, but on people’s lives and careers.
Tom Kawula, Creighton Endowed Chair in Global Health
Washington State University
“We had just a couple faculty members, no building, but the trust put into us by Paul Allen, Bill and Melinda Gates, and the Creightons to use those funds wisely was critical to really developing international research programs,” Palmer said. “I want to thank the entire Creighton family, not only for the individual recognition, but more importantly, how the endowment has allowed us to catalyze those programs and elevate the Allen School — we couldn’t have done it without them.”
The Creightons’ support was key in forming relationships with international partners like the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Red Cross and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund.
“We had this great vision for WSU to lead in global health, especially in combatting infectious diseases in low-income countries, but this required private investment to make the vision a reality,” Palmer said. “The Creighton endowment gave us the chance to show not only were we effective stewards of investment, but that WSU could deliver results in global health.”
The endowment was pivotal in starting WSU’s global health programs in Kenya and Tanzania, where, thanks to WSU’s Rabies Free Africa program, 3 million dogs have been vaccinated against the virus. The Creighton fund was also used to catalyze research into the threat of antimicrobial resistance in rural and urban communities in Guatemala and Kenya.
“When I came to WSU in 2016 we had a very small research presence in Kenya. Our programs there have grown exponentially and we wouldn’t have expanded that fast and that well without the Creighton’s support,” Kawula said.
Over time, Kawula said use of the Creighton endowment has evolved from a fund to get international research programs off the ground, to empowering people, many of whom are in international communities, of global health threats and how to address them in their communities.
“Some of the funds have been used for new laboratory equipment, some of it has been used for travel to work with the graduate students or for other scientific training, and there is no state budget line to develop those collegial relationships,” Kawula said.
Kawula said he hopes to continue to be a good steward of the endowment that has been so beneficial to WSU and impactful to so many from a global health standpoint.
“This is a huge gift,” Kawula said. “And you really see the impact you can have if you use those things wisely. I hope to use them as wisely as Dr. Palmer did.”
Jack Creighton passed away in 2020. In 2002, he received the Weldon B. Gibson Distinguished Volunteer Award. The award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated sustained, exemplary service and achievement on behalf of WSU and the WSU Foundation.
