Newly established endowed professorship to elevate research in BGSU College of Musical Arts

The DuWayne H. and Dorothy E. Hansen Endowed Professorship in Music Education will create significant support for faculty research into music pedagogy

As long-time champions of music education at Bowling Green State University, DuWayne Hansen, Ph.D., and his late wife, Dorothy “Dottie” Hansen ’62, ’69, have long shared a commitment to bolstering the future of the BGSU College of Musical Arts.

That commitment continues through a transformational gift, establishing the DuWayne H. and Dorothy E. Hansen Endowed Professorship in Music Education, which will support new or ongoing music pedagogy research from tenure-track CMA faculty and fund additional development initiatives to keep innovation at the forefront of one of the nation’s top music education programs.

Just as other academic disciplines continually examine and advance the way their fields are taught, DuWayne Hansen said he and Dottie believed music education should do the same. By creating an environment through which research can thrive and teaching can become even more effective, the Hansens believed they could further elevate music education at Bowling Green.

“One thing we thought we could do was establish a special chair in the College of Musical Arts, and the more Dottie and I discussed it, the more we hit upon a research professorship in music education,” Hansen said. “Like all fields, how you teach and how you practice keeps changing. Bowling Green is a leader in that field right now, and I hope this will help maintain that and advance even further.”

The Hansens have helped music education thrive at BGSU for decades, providing unmatched enrichment for students and helping CMA grow into an innovative, forward-thinking leader with a national reputation in music education and performance.

Together, the Akron-based couple shaped the course of the college with philanthropy that includes the Hansen Musical Arts Series, established in 1996, which brings accomplished musicians to Bowling Green every year; the Hansen Fellowship, a selective assistance fellowship that provides enduring support for students to refine their musical talents beyond the classroom, explore artistic creativity and develop professionally; and the Dorothy E. Hansen Undergraduate Music Scholarship, established in 2022 to bring top-tier students who excel in music, leadership and academics to BGSU.

Now, the Hansen Endowed Professorship in Music Education will provide a structured pathway for CMA faculty to keep BGSU at the forefront of the field.

“It is difficult to fully capture the impact of DuWayne and Dorothy Hansen’s generosity to the College of Musical Arts over the years,” said CMA Dean William Mathis. “Their philanthropy has shaped countless experiences and opportunities for music students. This transformational gift now extends their impact to the faculty, establishing a professorship that will strengthen the Department of Music Education and advance its teaching, research and creative initiatives.

“The professorship will support new and ongoing research in music pedagogy and foster initiatives that enhance teaching effectiveness in individual and collective music education settings. The Hansens’ generosity and vision are truly inspiring.”

Dottie Hansen was a two-time alumna who “absolutely fell in love with the school as a student,” said DuWayne Hansen, a former distinguished faculty member and department chair of Music Education at BGSU.

The Hansens maintained a profound connection with BGSU and the College of Musical Arts for years after, which has only served to strengthen the University’s commitment to music education that has been present since its founding in 1910. For both Dottie and DuWayne, ensuring future generations of BGSU music students had every opportunity to thrive was of paramount importance.

“You couldn’t live with Dottie without having Bowling Green on your mind,” he said. “We had a wonderful time there before I moved on to other positions, and we never forgot the school. We wanted to see it develop as fully as we could, and we wanted to see what we could do to help that.”

BGSU has been a destination school in music education for much of its history, and Hansen said he hopes CMA’s continued growth will be strengthened by the addition of an endowed professorship.

“Bowling Green has been strong in that area for many, many years now, and I hope I had a little hand in that,” Hansen said. “As the school has matured, it kept attracting better and better faculty, which has benefited the students. I think there is an atmosphere of especially good relationships between students and faculty.

“Bowling Green is known as a school you want to go to if you want to become a music teacher, and a good music teacher at that. I hope to see that continue.”