Dr. Charles R. Watson (July 17, 1871 - January 11, 1948) was the first president of the

American University in Cairo The American University in Cairo (AUC; ar, الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة, Al-Jāmi‘a al-’Amrīkiyya bi-l-Qāhira) is a private research university in Cairo, Egypt. The university offers American-style learning programs ...

. His father was a member of the United Presbyterian Church Of North America African Mission. Watson grew up in Egypt and returned to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

in 1889 to continue his education at Lawrenceville and then

Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine ...

. He met his wife Maria Elizabeth Powell while attending

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

. In 1912, Watson went on a mission with the United Presbyterian Board of Missions, with the primary goal of identifying the possibility of establishing a Christian university in Egypt. He returned from the mission with the strong belief that there should be another Western institution for higher learning in Egypt. The institution was finally launched in 1919 after enough funding and suitable location could be guaranteed. He remained at the AUC until John Badeau succeeded him as president in 1945, although he was still heavily active in AUC activities until his death in 1948.

Watson's Contribution to the AUC

As the founding president, his service as president from 1919 to 1945 greatly shaped the way in which the AUC evolved. For instance, the fact that the AUC was originally tied to the United Presbyterian mission caused some issues throughout the history of the AUC. For instance, during the anti-missionary campaign of the 1930s, Egyptian Muslims launched frequent protests against Protestants who they believed to be trying to convert them. Watson was able to overcome these impediments by adopting a more conciliatory and compromising tone. Additionally, Watson led the AUC in a direction which placed less emphasis on religion. According to

Heather J. Sharkey Heather J. Sharkey (born 1967) is an American historian of the Middle East and Africa, and of the modern Christian and Islamic worlds. Her books and articles have covered topics relating to nationalism, imperialism, colonialism, postcolonial studi ...

this also helped to cast the AUC in a more favorable light. Watson also was an avid fundraiser and adapted his techniques to target wealthy families who may have an interest in seeing the AUC succeed. By simultaneously creating less of a Christian focus and enhancing his fund-raising techniques, Watson was able to ensure that the university remained prominent despite the tough economic times of the 1930s. An oral history with Watson in which he discusses his time at AUC is available online.

References

External link

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Charles R. The American University in Cairo faculty 1871 births 1948 deaths Lawrenceville School alumni Princeton University alumni Ohio State University alumni Heads of universities and colleges in the United States American expatriates in Egypt