11.26.2007 - 04:23pm ET

(CSRwire) WILTON, CT - November 26, 2007 - Continuing a tradition of support for Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, the people of Deloitte and the Deloitte Foundation, a non-profit organization of Deloitte & Touche USA, has established the Deloitte Foundation Leadership Professorship in Accounting. This endowed professorship marks the largest individual gift of the 25-year relationship between Deloitte and the university. The $500,000 endowment was made possible through a combination of Deloitte partner and employee contributions and matching gifts from the Deloitte Foundation.

Supporting the professorship, the endowment will provide financial support to enhance the teaching, service, and professional development activities of the head of the accounting department situated within the Mays Business School.

Professor James Benjamin, who has been on the faculty at Mays since 1974 and has headed the department since 1982 has been named as the first holder of this professorship. "I am particularly excited about this fund because it will help our school attract and retain outstanding leaders in the future," he said.

"Mays Business School has had a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Deloitte," said Ricky Griffin, interim Dean of the Mays Business School. "This gift is tangible recognition of the outstanding work of Jim Benjamin and the accounting faculty as they help prepare the business leaders of tomorrow. We are very grateful to Deloitte and its partners for their support and faith in our programs."

Chip D'Andrea, Managing Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP, Houston Audit Services, said, "We are especially thrilled that we can endow this professorship at a time when Jim Benjamin is leading the accounting department. Jim has been the constant and guiding force for the program’s continued ascent as a nationally recognized top tier accounting program. To have him be the first recipient of our professorship is extremely gratifying to Deloitte Aggies."

Professor Benjamin acknowledged the committed teamwork between the university and Deloitte, noting, "Deloitte has been very involved with the development of our program, including service on our advisory council, since its inception in 1982, and has continued to provide significant financial support for our programs," he said. "Just as important, Deloitte is also significant as a leading recruiter of our students."

D'Andrea and Chris Patton, Deloitte's partner in charge of recruiting at Texas A&M, also recognized the alliance, and said, "We've found there to be a great fit between Mays students and Deloitte culture. We hire more candidates out of the Mays School than any other school in the area."

In addition to this professorship, Deloitte has also endowed both a professorship in support of the Director of the Professional Program in Accounting at Mays and a significant scholarship fund for accounting majors.

About Mays Business School

Mays Business School currently enrolls more than 4,000 undergraduate students and 875 graduate students. Mays is nationally ranked among public business schools for the quality of its undergraduate program, MBA program and the faculty scholarship of its 110 professors in five departments.

About the Deloitte Foundation

The Deloitte Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that supports teaching, research, and curriculum innovation in accounting, business, and related fields within the U.S. The Foundation, founded in 1928, supports an array of national programs, which are relevant to a variety of professional services, and which benefit undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. For more information, please visit the Deloitte Foundation web page at http://www.deloitte.com/us/df.

About Deloitte

As used in this document, "Deloitte" means Deloitte & Touche USA LLP. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP and its subsidiaries.

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