Denzel Washington's interest in acting developed during his time as a student at Fordham University, where a professor encouraged him to recognize his potential. Years later, the award-winning actor supported the university's theater program, helping provide professional instruction and financial assistance for students pursuing the performing arts.
Washington graduated from Fordham College at Lincoln Center in 1977. He initially studied journalism but became interested in theater after participating in student productions. Robinson Stone, a professor and former actor who mentored him at Fordham, played an important role in encouraging him to pursue acting. In 2011, Washington directed a $2.25 million gift toward the university's theater education program, including $2 million for an endowed chair and $250,000 for an undergraduate scholarship, as detailed in Fordham News.
An endowed chair for theater education
The $2 million portion of the donation established the Denzel Washington Chair in Theatre. Actress Phylicia Rashad, who played Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show and won a Tony Award for her stage work, became the chair's inaugural holder in 2011. The appointment brought an experienced performer into Fordham's theater program, allowing students to learn from an established artist.
Rashad won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for portraying Lena Younger in the Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun. She also directed August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean at Seattle Repertory Theatre. Her experience across stage and screen provided a professional perspective that could complement students' academic training in performance, character development, and collaboration.
{{/usCountry}}Rashad won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for portraying Lena Younger in the Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun. She also directed August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean at Seattle Repertory Theatre. Her experience across stage and screen provided a professional perspective that could complement students' academic training in performance, character development, and collaboration.
{{/usCountry}}Rashad was the first artist to hold the endowed chair, which has since been associated with other established performers and theater professionals. The position was designed to connect students with experienced practitioners, extending their learning beyond classroom instruction.
Washington's own experience at Fordham helps explain the significance of mentorship in his gift. Stone encouraged him when he was a student and helped him recognize his potential as an actor. By funding an endowed faculty position, Washington supported a teaching resource through which other students could receive guidance from accomplished professionals.
Scholarship for an undergraduate theater major
The remaining $250,000 established the Denzel Washington Endowed Scholarship for an undergraduate theater major. Fordham's original announcement said the scholarship would support a minority student, preferably someone from the Mount Vernon, New York, school district, where Washington grew up. The gift provided financial assistance for a student pursuing theater studies, complementing the educational opportunities supported by the endowed chair.
Together, the two contributions addressed different needs within theater education. The endowed chair supported instruction by an established professional, while the scholarship helped reduce the financial burden on an undergraduate studying the performing arts. The combination reflected Washington's connection to a university where mentorship had helped shape his own career interests.
Washington went on to earn major recognition in film, television, and theater. He won Academy Awards for his performances in Glory and Training Day and received a Tony Award for his leading performance in the 2010 Broadway revival of Fences. His professional achievements brought him well beyond the university, but his contribution also reflected the role Fordham played in his development as an actor.
Lifelong ties to Fordham
Washington maintained ties to Fordham after graduating. The university's Hall of Honor profile records that he served on the Fordham University Board of Trustees from 1994 to 2000. He was inducted into the university's Hall of Honor in 2012 and has returned to the Lincoln Center campus to speak with students about his experiences.
His relationship with Fordham therefore extended beyond his education and involvement in theater. Stone's encouragement helped Washington pursue acting, while his later gift supported students seeking their own opportunities in the field. Rather than funding a single production, the donation established resources for professional instruction and undergraduate financial assistance.
The two parts of Washington's contribution served distinct purposes but shared a common goal: supporting the next generation of performers. By establishing an endowed chair and a scholarship, he helped strengthen both the teaching and financial support available to theater students at the university where his interest in acting took shape.