Gift creates the Michael and Rowena Cuffe Endowed Professor of Health Research and Innovation, matched through the Johnson Academic Challenge
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 7, 2026) — Drs. Michael and Rowena Dolor Cuffe have committed $1.5 million to Belmont University to establish the Michael and Rowena Cuffe Endowed Professor of Health Research and Innovation. The gift will be matched through the Johnson Academic Challenge, part of Belmont's Hope Transforms campaign.
The endowed professorship will be housed in the Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine, with a secondary appointment connecting research and teaching across Belmont's health sciences and business programs. The scholar who holds the chair will lead original research, build partnerships across disciplines and mentor the next generation of physicians and health care innovators, work that will help position Belmont as a growing hub for health research in Nashville and beyond.
“Many of the challenges impacting our world do not fit neatly within a single discipline. Addressing them requires leaders who can connect discovery and innovation with practical solutions that create lasting impact,” said Belmont University President Greg Jones. “This professorship will allow Belmont to bring together expertise across health care and business, cultivating new ideas, preparing future leaders and advancing work that improves lives and strengthens communities. We are grateful to Mike and Rowena for their extraordinary investment in that vision."
Michael Cuffe, M.D., M.B.A., is an HCA Healthcare executive who retired in 2026 after 15 years with the company, most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer. He was named to Modern Healthcare's 2026 list of Most Influential Clinical Executives and has served on Belmont's Board of Trustees since 2023.
Rowena Dolor, M.D., M.H.S., is Professor Emeritus of Medicine at Duke University, where she spent decades leading comparative effectiveness research in primary care settings. She was also an adjunct associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center from 2014-2026.
“We believe Belmont is well positioned to make a difference in American medicine,” said the Cuffes. “Strengthening health research and innovation is essential to advancing healthcare.”
Belmont's Hope Transforms campaign is a $700 million comprehensive fundraising effort, the most ambitious in the University's 135-year history. Structured around three guiding pillars, character, creativity and innovation, the campaign fuels Belmont's vision to become the leading Christ-centered university in the world. The Johnson Academic Challenge, established by Milton and Denice Johnson, provides matching support for endowed chairs and professorships, helping attract nationally recognized faculty and build out academic programs across the University.
About Belmont University
Located near the heart of thriving Nashville, Tennessee, Belmont University consists of nearly 9,000 students who come from every state and 33 countries. The University is nationally recognized for its innovative approach as well as its commitment to undergraduate teaching (U.S. News & World Report). As a Christ-centered, student-focused community, Belmont’s mission is to develop diverse leaders of purpose, character and wisdom who possess a transformational mindset and are eager and equipped to make the world a better place. With more than 115 areas of undergraduate study, 41 master’s programs and eight doctoral degrees, Belmont University aims to be the leading Christ-centered university in the world, producing leaders who will radically champion the pursuit of life abundant for all people. For more information, visit http://www.belmont.edu.
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