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CORVALLIS, Ore. - A Portland couple has donated $860,000 to Oregon State University, part of which will endow a dairy professorship in the food science and technology department.

The Paul G. and Sandra A. Arbuthnot Professorship Fund will create the Arbuthnot Dairy Center within the College of Agricultural Sciences, support internships and endow a faculty member to develop and deliver state-of-the-art education and outreach programs for OSU students and Oregon's small dairy foods processors. The couple hopes the fund will encourage growth, innovation and improvement of specialty dairy products.

"It will give us significantly more opportunities to make a difference in the dairy industry here in Oregon," said Lisbeth Goddik, a dairy foods specialist with the OSU Extension Service. She is the first to hold the professorship.

Paul Arbuthnot said the couple established the professorship because of his longtime involvement in the dairy industry and his belief in the benefits of dairy products to Oregon's economy. Funding shortfalls from the state legislature also contributed to their decision, Arbuthnot said.

Paul Arbuthnot spent most of his working life in the dairy industry. He is a retired president of Portland-based Sunshine Dairy Foods, served on the Oregon Dairy Products Commission and was president of Quality Chekd Dairies, a national dairy sales and marketing organization. He initially became connected with OSU's food science and technology department through collaboration with Floyd Bodyfelt, who was the dairy foods Extension specialist prior to Goddik.

"I appreciate the importance of OSU's Extension specialists to Oregon's agriculture," Arbuthnot said.

Goddik, who also holds the Oregon Dairy Industries Bodyfelt Professorship, is developing a program to make artisan cheese on campus. She will share her knowledge with Oregon dairy farmers.

"I had good feelings about the program," Arbuthnot said. "When Lisbeth signed on, it brought a new dimension, and that was her interest in artisan cheese."

"We are grateful to Paul and Sandy Arbuthnot for their generosity to create the professorship; it will enable Dr. Goddik to develop and deliver outstanding programs in support of the Oregon dairy industry they are passionate about," said Sonny Ramaswamy, the dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences.   

The Arbuthnots' gift qualifies for the OSU Provost's Faculty Match Program, a new initiative to encourage donors' investments by providing five years of additional support for programs that receive endowed gifts for faculty positions that help advance priorities identified in the university's strategic plan.

Their gift is part of The Campaign for OSU, the university's first comprehensive fundraising initiative. It has raised more than $630 million toward its goal of $850 million.