A new professorship, established through a $1 million pledge, was created in honor of a College of Visual and Performing Arts alumna, Syracuse University officials announced Friday.

The Iris Magidson Professor of Practice in Design Innovation will be based in the college’s Department of Design, according to a Friday SU news release. Magidson, a 1964 VPA alumna, former professor and current Advisory Council member, committed the $1 million pledge, according to the release.

‘Iris is not only an outstanding VPA alumna and valued member of the college’s Advisory Council, but also a former member of our design faculty,’ said Erica Blust, VPA’s director of communications, in an email.

Ann Clarke, dean of VPA, could not be reached for comment. Lucinda Havenhand, chair of VPA’s design department, declined to comment.

The college expects to employ the first professorship before the fall 2011 semester begins. The emphasis of the position will be on teaching graduate-level courses, according to the release. The college will follow SU’s Search and Hiring Policy for faculty positions to fill the professorship, Blust said.

‘The ideal recipient of the professorship will be an active design professional who practices interdisciplinary application to design,’ she said.

Magidson returned to SU 36 years after graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in advertising design to teach communications design in 2000, according to the release. She taught until 2006, and during that time, she worked to bring professionals into the classroom, according to the release. 

Magidson previously worked for Clairol Inc. and parent company Bristol-Myers Squibb’s businesses from 1969 to 1995, initially as a designer and then as design director, according to the release.

She has worked as a visual communications consultant with her own firm since 1970, according to the release. Magidson currently uses her skills and experience to help nonprofit organizations, according to the release.

Blust said: ‘The professorship will expose students to an individual with successful professional practice experience at an international level.’

medelane@syr.edu