Central State’s First Endowed Chair Advances Mathematics, Research and Student Success

Thyrsa Frazier Svager Endowed Chair honors distinguished mathematics professor and creates new opportunities for research and student mentorship

Dr. Arunasalam Rahunanthan’s appointment as Central State University’s first endowed chair represents both a recognition of his distinguished career in mathematics and an opportunity to build upon a legacy that has shaped the University for generations.

Rahunanthan, a professor of mathematics in Central State’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, has been named the inaugural Thyrsa Frazier Svager Endowed Chair in Mathematics. The appointment recognizes his record of teaching, research, academic leadership and student mentorship while providing additional support for his continued scholarly work.

“I am deeply honored by this appointment and sincerely grateful for the confidence that academic affairs, the Board of Trustees, President Kuti, and my colleagues in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science have placed in me,” Rahunanthan said. “I am humbled by this recognition and view it as both a privilege and a responsibility.”

Since joining Central State in 2015 as an assistant professor of mathematics, Rahunanthan has advanced to the rank of full professor and served in several leadership capacities, including department chair, program coordinator and interim dean of the John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture. He currently serves as interim director of graduate studies.

Honoring a Distinguished Mathematics Career

An endowed chair is an honorary academic appointment that recognizes a faculty member for distinction in their field. Unlike a department chair, which carries administrative responsibilities, an endowed chair provides recognition and resources to support continued research and scholarly activity.

Dr. Amy Hobbs Harris, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said Rahunanthan’s extensive research record and years of service at Central State made him a natural choice for the inaugural appointment.

“It was clear that Dr. Rahunanthan came across as the person with the most extensive research record, longest tenure, and someone that we wanted to honor with this position,” Hobbs Harris said.

The appointment is for a three-year term, after which the University will evaluate the position. The endowed chair also provides a stipend that can support research, conference travel and other scholarly activities.

Hobbs Harris said the position carries particular significance as Central State’s first endowed chair.

“This will be the only active endowed chair that we have at the university,” she said. “So it’s really a prominent and special position that we’re able to feature here at Central State.”

For Rahunanthan, the appointment is an opportunity to continue contributing to the University that has played a significant role in his professional growth.

“Central State University has provided me with tremendous opportunities to teach, mentor students, conduct research, and contribute to the growth of our academic programs,” Rahunanthan said. “I look forward to continuing these efforts and advancing the mission of the University through excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.”

Advancing Research and Scholarship

Rahunanthan’s research focuses on Bayesian statistics, high-performance computing and uncertainty quantification in porous media flows. He has secured more than $1.6 million in research and workforce development funding and has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and presented his work internationally.

The resources associated with the endowed chair will provide additional opportunities for Rahunanthan to expand his research and share his findings with scholars nationally and internationally.

The appointment, he said, will help him pursue research and explore emerging applications in porous media flows.

Dr. Hobbs Harris said the University also expects Rahunanthan’s research to strengthen his teaching and benefit students in the classroom.

“We hope is that he will share that at academic conferences, share his knowledge with others, bring it back into the classroom, to enhance his teaching practices with what he’s learning through his research, and then ultimately publish in academic journals,” Hobbs Harris said.

Creating Opportunities for Students

A significant part of Rahunanthan’s work at Central State has been his commitment to involving students in research and preparing them for opportunities beyond their undergraduate education.

He currently mentors three students participating in a National Science Foundation-funded project, “Excellence in Research: A Novel Computational Framework for Groundwater Contamination Forecasting.”

Through research experiences like this, Rahunanthan works to expose students to the possibilities available through advanced study and careers in STEM fields.

“We always want to encourage our students to excel in whatever they do,” Rahunanthan said in discussing his approach to student mentorship.

He has seen that work translate into graduate-school opportunities for Central State mathematics students. Several of his graduates have continued their education at the graduate level, an accomplishment Rahunanthan identifies as one of the most meaningful aspects of his career at Central State.

Continuing the Svager Legacy

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The endowed chair carries the name of Dr. Thyrsa Frazier Svager, whose own career at Central State began in 1954 as an assistant professor of mathematics.

Svager went on to serve as a professor and academic administrator before becoming vice president for academic affairs and provost. She retired from Central State in 1993 after nearly four decades of service.

Her husband, Aleksandar Svager, was also a longtime Central State faculty member and chair of physics. Together, the Svagers demonstrated a longstanding commitment to education and expanding opportunities for students in mathematics and the sciences.

Funding for the Thyrsa Frazier Svager Endowed Chair comes to Central State through The Dayton Foundation and represents an extension of the Svager family’s longstanding philanthropic support of mathematics education and student opportunity.

Although Rahunanthan did not know Svager personally, he recognizes the significance of the legacy attached to the position.

“Although I did not have the privilege of knowing Professor Thyrsa Svager personally, I am well aware of the Svager family's longstanding generosity and unwavering support of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and Central State University,” Rahunanthan said. “Their commitment has helped strengthen opportunities for students and faculty alike, and I am honored to be associated with this distinguished legacy.”

That connection between Svager’s career in mathematics, her leadership at Central State and the future of the discipline is particularly meaningful to University leadership.

Hobbs Harris said Svager’s decision to continue supporting the University through philanthropy reflects the lasting connection former leaders can have with Central State.

“To see that a former provost so dedicated that they also now are giving back to the university and supporting our faculty is really special,” Hobbs Harris said.

Rebecca Kocher, vice president of Institutional Advancement, said the endowed chair demonstrates how philanthropy can create a lasting impact across generations.

“The Thyrsa Frazier Svager Endowed Chair is a powerful example of what legacy philanthropy can accomplish,” Kocher said. “Dr. Svager devoted nearly four decades of her life to Central State and to opening doors for students through mathematics and education.”

Building on a Legacy of Excellence

The creation of Central State’s first endowed chair establishes a new avenue for recognizing faculty excellence while creating opportunities for continued investment in academic programs and student success.

Hobbs Harris said the University is open to partnerships with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations interested in establishing endowed chairs and other forms of transformational support.

For Rahunanthan, his appointment is ultimately about using the opportunity to give back to the University that has helped shape his career.

“I am honored to accept this appointment and look forward to serving as the Thyrsa Svager Endowed Chair in Mathematics,” Rahunanthan said.

As he begins his three-year appointment, Rahunanthan will continue teaching and mentoring students while expanding his research and scholarship — carrying forward the legacy of a mathematician who dedicated nearly four decades to Central State and helping prepare the next generation of students to advance the field.