Marymount's first endowed faculty chair was established in May 2000. Provided through the generosity of John J. McDonnell, Jr., a highly successful business leader in the electronic commerce field, the chair supports a faculty position in the field of ethics, enhancing the resources directed toward infusing ethics into the curriculum and the academic life of the University. The faculty appointee provides particular leadership for exploring how student understanding of ethics can be deepened and strengthened. The McDonnell Chair in Ethics serves as a highly visible symbol of the commitment to ethics at Marymount University.