Lori Diel, Ph.D., named Kay and Velma Kimbell Endowed Chair of Art History

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Lori Diel, Ph.D., has been appointed the new Kay and Velma Kimbell Endowed Chair of Art History in the TCU College of Fine Arts.

Lori Diel, Ph.D.

The Kay and Velma Kimbell Chair of Art History was established in the College of Fine Arts through an endowment grant by the Kimbell Art Foundation in 1994. The Kimbell Art Foundation, which owns and operates the Kimbell Art Museum, was established in 1936 by Kay and Velma Kimbell.

Diel, who is associate dean for research and faculty development and a professor of art history, has been a TCU School of Art faculty member since 2001. She is the author of three books, including the groundbreaking The Codex Mexicanus: A Guide to Life in Late Sixteenth-Century New Spain.

“It’s an honor to be the new Kay and Velma Kimbell Endowed Chair of Art History,” said Diel. “Through my research and teaching on ancient American and colonial Latin American art, I’ve always had a general goal of making art history more inclusive. This endowed position will provide important support for my work and mission.”

TCU seeks out professors who have a passion for teaching as well as for conducting research — a combination that keeps them at the top of their fields. Endowed faculty positions attract eminent national and international scholars, which attracts other notable faculty and the brightest students to TCU.

Diel earned her Ph.D. in Latin American studies with a concentration in Latin American art history from Tulane University. She also earned a master’s degree in Latin American studies from Tulane University and a bachelor’s degree in art history and anthropology from Emory University.

The Kay and Velma Kimbell Endowed Chair of Art History position was previously held by Mark Thistlethwaite, Ph.D., who retired from TCU as professor emeritus in 2020.