Lycoming College has received a generous gift to establish The William G. Dever Endowed Fund in Archaeology. The donor, who has chosen to remain anonymous, established the fund in recognition of Dever and his extraordinary contributions to the field of archaeology. Dever is currently a distinguished visiting professor of archaeology at Lycoming College.
“The College has identified the archaeology program as a strategic point of distinction in which we plan to invest over the next several years,” said President Kent Trachte. “This gift will allow the College to create even greater excellence in its archaeology program. We are very grateful to the donor.”
The William G. Dever Endowed Fund in Archaeology will provide broad support for the archaeology program at Lycoming College. This will include new investment in the on-campus program as well as helping to fund field digs in which Lycoming College students participate.
“We are very pleased to receive this generous gift honoring Dr. William Dever,” said Philip Sprunger, provost and dean of the College. “It will enhance our archaeology program and provide even greater international and experiential learning opportunities to our archaeology students.”
Dever is an American archaeologist who specializes in the history of Israel and the Near East in Biblical times. A recipient of the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship for the Humanities, U.S. and Canada, Dever is world renowned for his scholarship, writings and archaeological work related to the historicity of the Bible and the Near East more broadly and a regular contributor to documentaries and public television productions related to his research and expertise.
Dr. Dever did his undergraduate work at Milligan College and received his Ph.D. from Harvard University. He served as director of the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research from 1971-75 and professor of Near Eastern Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Arizona in Tucson from 1975 to 2002.