Taylor’s President Michael Lindsay appointed Stefan Brandle, co-chair and professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, as the Ronald L. McDaniel Endowed Chair of Computing and System Sciences during chapel on May 3.
“If the story is ‘here's kind of an average person who really cared about helping students learn and become wonderful, both people, humans and Christians,’” Brandle said, “And this is a recognition that that was time and effort well spent, I would say that's really cool.”
An endowed chair is a position funded by an endowment made by a donor. In 2000, Ronald L. McDaniel donated to Taylor University to create an endowed chair for computing and system sciences. The first person to hold this position was Leon Adkinson in 2003, he held the position until he retired in 2008.
McDaniel was a prominent figure in the railroad and supply community, and was most well known as the president of Western-Cullen-Hayes Inc. He founded the Ronald L. McDaniel Foundation in 1995.
In his announcement, Lindsay said an endowed chair is a way to distinguish remarkable faculty as great scholars and teachers. This is not something they do normally, he said.
“It’s a recognition of the highest order that says to the Taylor community and to our academic colleagues around the world, ‘here is a colleague that we deeply cherish and respect,’” Lindsay said.
Brandle joined two other endowed chairs at Taylor. Philip Byers, Halbrook Chair of Civic Engagement, and Rachel Smit, Gilkison Chair of Art.
Brandle began teaching at Taylor in 1999. He has also taught overseas in South Korea at Handong Global University along with a year of teaching at a university in the Republic of Mauritius.
“Dr. Brandle loves the Lord, is committed to excellence, brings a wealth of international experience to the classroom and has been critical in Taylor's relationship building with Lockheed Martin and NearSpace Launch,” Provost Jewerl Maxwell said, “For these reasons, and more, Dr. Brandle is a natural fit for this endowed chair appointment.”
Brandle does not always like attention, but believes this new position can draw more attention to his department and the university.
He never thought he would make it to the position where he is now.
“I still sort of feel like the kid who thought that going to university was for the super smart people,” Brandle said. “I was not sure that I qualified, let alone being a university professor, let alone being an endowed chair.”
While Brandle said he is further along than he thought he would be, he also said he has put in the work to receive this honor.
“This has been a high percentage of my effort in life for the last 25 years,” Brandle said.“And so I guess if I were an external person…trying to pick somebody in the department, I guess I would be a good choice. It feels a little weird. My whole life I've never really liked attention drawn to myself.”
Sophomore Jake Scott has had Brandle as a professor in two classes and enjoys how he not only knows what he’s teaching but is good at fielding questions.
He also respects how well Brandle integrates faith into his teaching.
Scott said Brandle discusses defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and why some people are hesitant to work for them due to concerns about government involvement and ethical considerations. Brandle argues that retreating from the field doesn’t improve the situation, and it's better to engage and try to make a positive impact.
Brandle said he is humbled by this position; he knows others could have also been appointed.
