Late-alumna’s charitable foundation funds endowed chair in the Wayne State Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences
Wayne State University’s School of Medicine has established the Tamara van den Bergh Ferguson Endowed Chair in Transdisciplinary Psychiatric Education, a permanent faculty position in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences funded by the Tamara van den Bergh Ferguson Charitable Foundation, to expand collaboration, strengthen training and honor a lifelong commitment to advocacy.
Ferguson, a former adjunct professor of sociology at Wayne State, founded the philanthropic organization in her name so she and her husband, Jack, could fund projects they believed in through their estate. Guided by the Fergusons’ vision, the foundation invests in initiatives that create lasting opportunities through education, mental health and human rights.
“The foundation exists to carry on the work and advocacy that Tamara and Jack dedicated their lives to,” William Barnes, president of the board of the Tamara van den Bergh Ferguson Charitable Foundation, said.
For the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, the establishment of the endowed chair represents an opportunity to advance its mission of educating future leaders in mental health care while expanding innovative psychiatric education and research.
“This investment will strengthen education across disciplines while improving care for vulnerable populations,” Department Chair David Rosenberg, M.D., said. “Through the establishment of the endowed chair position, the department will be able to expand cross-disciplinary efforts that will ripple into the community.”
With a shared commitment to advancing collaborative psychiatric education, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences named Rebecca Klisz-Hulbert M.D. ’04, Res. ’07, Fel. ’09, associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, as the inaugural chairholder.
"The board of the Tamara van den Bergh Ferguson Charitable Foundation is delighted to congratulate Dr. Klisz-Hulbert on her appointment as the inaugural chairholder," Barnes said. "We are thrilled she will carry forward Tamara and Jack's vision by advancing innovative psychiatric education and preparing the next generation of physicians."
A recognized leader in psychiatric education, particularly in child and adolescent psychiatry, Dr. Klisz-Hulbert's connection to Wayne State runs deep.
After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology and her medical degree from Wayne State, Dr. Klisz-Hulbert completed her psychiatry residency and child psychiatry fellowship at Detroit Medical Center before joining the School of Medicine faculty. She served as president of the Medical Alumni Board of Governors from 2023 to 2024.
The endowed chair, for Dr. Klisz-Hulbert, is an opportunity to advance a field she has dedicated her career to strengthening.
“Mental health is woven into every specialty of medicine,” she said. “Every physician, no matter what field they practice in, will encounter patients with mental health needs. That connection is what makes psychiatric education so important, because improving mental health care requires collaboration across the entire health care system.”
Dr. Klisz-Hulbert will continue building partnerships with school systems and community organizations, expand interdisciplinary collaborations across the School of Medicine, and create new opportunities to strengthen psychiatric education and training programs at Wayne State and beyond.
The establishment of the Tamara van den Bergh Endowed Chair in Transdisciplinary Psychiatric Education is the continuation of a legacy built on education, advocacy and service. Through the vision of the Tamara van den Bergh Ferguson Charitable Foundation and the leadership of Dr. Klisz-Hulbert, generations of future physicians will be better equipped to care for patients, ensuring that the Fergusons’ commitment to improving lives continues long into the future.
To learn more about how to support the Wayne State School of Medicine, contact alumni@med.wayne.edu or the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs at 313-577-6943.