PARTNERSHIPS FOR PERSIAN STUDIES

Less than a dozen U.S. colleges and universities have a Persian Studies program. The University of Washington is in that elite group. And with gifts totalling nearly $400,000 this year, the UW's Persian Studies Program-part of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilization (NELC)-is poised to play a more prominent role.

The year's largest gift, from the Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute, establishes the Roshan Endowed Fellowship for Excellence in Persian Studies. The $300,000 gift will generate income to support a graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in Persian Studies.| story continues |