Florida State University alumni Stella and Dr. Raymond Cottrell have made a gift of $125,000 to establish an endowed professorship titled “The Stella and Raymond Cottrell Professorship Within the Department of Psychology,” said Assistant Dean Nancy Smilowitz.

The recipient of this newly endowed professorship is Thomas Joiner. Joiner, Distinguished Research Professor and the Bright-Burton Professor of Psychology, is a worldwide expert on suicide and author of the 2005 book Why People Die by Suicide.

The Cottrells have deep ties to Florida State, with Stella having received her bachelor’s degree from FSU in French and Raymond having received his bachelor’s degree from FSU in chemistry. In addition, both of their children received degrees from FSU, and their son was the punter on the football team. Currently, Stella chairs the Arts & Sciences Leadership Council, and Raymond works as a physician in Tallahassee.

Besides creating the professorship in psychology, the Cottrells have supported the university in academics and athletics by establishing a professorship in the Department of Chemistry to recognize outstanding teaching, by creating a scholarship for the punter of the football team, and by making a gift to the Alumni Center.