New Professorship Established in UA’s College of Communication & Information Sciences

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A new professorship will be established in the College of Communication and Information Sciences (C&IS) at The University of Alabama thanks to a donation made by a long-time Tuscaloosa physician.

Dr. Blair Behringer has given $150,000 to C&IS to create the Behringer Endowed Professorship. The professorship will help attract and retain faculty essential to the continued mission of the College and its programs.

“We are grateful and honored by the Behringers’ generosity,” said Bonnie LaBresh, director of development for C&IS. “Endowed professorships such as this give us a margin of excellence by enabling our College to recruit and retain top faculty.”

Behringer, a retired orthopedic surgeon and Air Force pilot, practiced medicine in Tuscaloosa from 1980 to 1993, before leaving to become director of medical affairs and chief medical officer of New Jersey’s Garden State Health Plan — the nation’s only state-operated HMO. Behringer received his medical and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Missouri. He was chairman of the department of orthopedic surgery at the DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa from 1990-1993 and also served as chairman of the medical staff accreditation committee at DCH. From 1981-1986 and again from 1989-1993, Behringer served as assistant professor of surgery in UA’s College of Community Health Sciences.

Behringer was prompted to make the contribution after four of his children attended UA, with two earning degrees from C&IS. “Honest to goodness, and I know it sounds trite, but creating this professorship has been a dream of many, many years,” Behringer said.

“I have worked hard to be able to do this. Our kids did well in school, and that sparked the idea of wanting to give something back to the institution that educated them. I feel grateful for what this institution did for our family. It feels even better to be on the giving end,” he said.