WASHINGTON – Howard University and the School of Business proudly announce the creation of the Dr. Abraham Pishevar Endowed Chair in Finance and Entrepreneurship, which honors the life and work of alumnus Abraham Pishevar, Ph.D. (Ph.D., clinical psychology, ‘95). Dr. Pishevar’s son, Shervin Pishevar, on behalf of the Pishevar-Haynes Family Foundation, led by Mr. Pishevar and his sister Dr. Sarah Pishevar Haynes, Ph.D., has pledged $3 million to endow the chair to honor their father, his values, and legacy on Father’s Day.

“The Howard University family is honored to recognize Dr. Abraham Pishevar, son of Howard University, who came to America for a second chance at a promising future,” said President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA. “We thank Shervin and the Pishevar-Haynes family for this generous gift that will support our dedicated faculty as they train the next generation of deserving students and we look forward to continued collaboration with the Pishevar-Haynes family in support of entrepreneurship at Howard University.”

Dr. Pishevar was widely known as a television and radio executive in his native Iran when he and his family were forced to leave due to political turmoil. After immigrating to the United States and establishing a home in Silver Spring, Maryland, he started a career as a cab driver while earning a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Howard University.

“Courage, loyalty, humility, grit, empowerment, and a relentless drive to continually grow are characteristics that make for greatness; they are characteristics that I have been blessed to learn from my father, Dr. Abraham Pishevar, or “Papa” as he is known to many; and they are characteristics Howard University strives to instill in all its students,” Shervin Pishevar said. “So on this Father’s Day, I am humbled to be able to create the Dr. Abraham Pishevar Endowed Chair at Howard University’s School of Business to honor Papa’s legacy and values and to ensure they continue to shape generations to come.”

School of Business Dean Anthony Wilbon, Ph.D., thanked the Pishevar-Haynes family for celebrating Abraham’s legacy through an enduring gift to his Alma Mater that will support financial wellness, literacy, and entrepreneurship. The Pishevar Endowed Chair in Finance and Entrepreneurship will support research in the areas of conventional investment of financial assets and will also explore alternative investments strategies. As the Howard School of Business expands its curriculum and co-curriculum activities in areas of entrepreneurship, private equity, real estate and wealth management, the Pishevar Endowed Chair will be instrumental to expanding the university programming in these areas.

“One of the fundamental needs of our Howard students is broadening their financial literacy. The School of Business has made a commitment to prioritize this need and the Dr. Abraham Pishevar Endowed Chair in Finance and Entrepreneurship will support identifying a highly qualified academician who can lead this effort. We are very grateful to the Pishevar-Haynes family that they chose this venue to honor their father,” said Wilbon.

# # #

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media Contact: Misha Cornelius, misha.cornelius@howard.edu