Professional News

College of Education Professor Co-authors Book on Philanthropy and Higher Education

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 24, 2014) — John Thelin, professor of higher education and public policy in the University of Kentucky College of Education, and Richard Trollinger, vice president of Centre College have co-authored a book on the history of philanthropy and its role in the evolution of American higher education.

"Philanthropy and American Higher Education" is the third project on whichThelin and Trollinger have collabroated. According to the book's description, it outlines their belief that "support of higher education through philanthropy is central to the historic and future character of colleges and universities."

Thelin, who also has a joint appointment with the UK Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, came to UK in 1996. Since then, he has become nationally renowned as one of UK's experts on higher education history, policies and issues. An alumnus of Brown University, he received his master's degree in American history and doctorate in the history of education from the University of California, Berkeley.  He went on to work in a variety of administrative positions in higher education, and eventually became research director for California’s 64 independent colleges and universities in 1979, which sparked his interest and involvment with public policy at the state and federal levels. Over the years, Thelin developed even more interests ranging from the study of philanthropy and foundations to economics of higher education to the study of college sports.

His book, "A History of American Higher Education," has remained the standard account of the evolution of American universities and colleges since its publication in 2004 by the Johns Hopkins University Press.