ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan has received a gift of $2 million to establish the Thai Professorship of Theravada Buddhism, which will further enhance one of the largest Buddhist studies programs in North America.
The gift was made possible through the initiative and generosity of Amnuay Viravan, the former deputy prime minister, finance minister and foreign minister of Thailand, with matching support provided by the Crown Property Bureau of the Ministry of Finance of Thailand.
U-M has a large and dedicated group of Thai alumni, led by Amnuay, who received a doctorate and two master’s degrees from the university in the 1950s.