History

The Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning was founded in July 2004. Principal funding for the center comes from two generous alumni gifts: one from Gordon W. Russell, Class of 1955, establishing the Gordon W. Russell Endowment for the Advancement of Learning; the other from R. Stephen Cheheyl, Class of 1967, to endow the position of the center's director, the Cheheyl Professor. Since 2011, DCAL has also enjoyed generous support from the Judith and Allen Zern 1965 Fund.

Faculty members who have served as Cheheyl Professor and Director of the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning include Thomas H. Luxon, Lisa Baldez, and Scott Pauls. Robert Hawley will step into the role on July 1, 2026.