For Friends of the University of K ansas • Fall 2011 • kuendowment.org
KU’s School of Engineering plans 10 years of growth
VISIONS OF KU brian goodman
A member of the Falcon Skydiving Team, Olathe, Kan., flies the KU flag during a pregame show at Memorial Stadium.
building a greater university
KU Endowment partners with donors in providing philanthropic support to build a greater University of Kansas.
Fall 2011 I volume 5 I number 1
Click on one and let’s be social
Features
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KU’s School of Engineering plans for a decade of growth.
PRESIDENT’S NOTE What’s in a name?
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up front
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EVERY GIFT MATTERS Hundreds of donors honor former KU Hospital patient
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ACROSS KU
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WHY I GIVE
Let’s go outside
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new at KU Glass sculpture freezes time at the Spencer Museum of Art
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greater ku fund New faculty get starter boost
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the faithful Dottie Thomas Dickey’s ties to KU go back to the 1890s.
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KU VOICES Neeli Bendapudi, the new dean of KU’s School of Business
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among friends
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past & present Audio Reader, broadcasting for 40 years
A classroom without walls at KU’s Field Station.
Students immerse themselves in Kansas plants and landscapes.
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Jump-starting an economic engine
Sarah Elizabeth McCandless, aerospace engineering senior, says increased hands-on experience will benefit future students.
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DEPARTMENTS
To clear Earth’s eye
Potter Lake at 100
Chado, a new sculpture by Karen LaMonte at the Spencer Museum of Art, depicts a life-size kimono — in solid glass.
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COVER: Sarah Elizabeth McCandless helped build a
Students, donors and university officials collaborate to revive a beloved campus landmark.
9-foot airplane to test inflight strain on its wing structure. See story page 12 photo by Earl richardson
Brian goodman
Our core values Passion for KU The generosity of alumni and friends influences the very fabric of KU, helping the university advance the frontiers of knowledge. We are dedicated to serving the university and helping it achieve its aspirations.
Partnership with donors Our donors empower us to accomplish our mission. We pledge to faithfully administer their gifts, adhere to their philanthropic intentions and respect their requests for privacy.
Perpetual support The long-term vitality of KU represents our ultimate, unwavering goal. We strive to wisely invest funds and steward property, with the goal of achieving the greatest possible assurance of long-term financial support for the university.
People-centered approach
Autumn’s nippy air brings out fall colors — and light jackets, just in case.
Our team of employees, trustees and volunteers guides our present and shapes our future. We seek to attract and develop the best talent, value each individual’s unique contributions and celebrate diversity as a strength.
ways to support ku 100% of your gift benefits the area of your choice at the University of Kansas. Online Giving — You may make a gift securely online using your debit or credit card. Visit kuendowment.org/givenow. Gifts of Stock — By donating appreciated securities or mutual fund shares, you can provide a lasting contribution while receiving tax benefits, such as capital gains tax savings. Real Estate — Your gift provides a convenient way for you to enjoy a charitable deduction based on the current fair market value of your property, and it can reduce the size and complexity of your estate.
Give by mail — Gifts made by check should be payable to KU Endowment and mailed to: KU Endowment P.O. Box 928 Lawrence, KS 66044-0928 Estate Planning — To remember KU in your will or estate plan, be sure to name The Kansas University Endowment Association (our legal name) as beneficiary. Our federal tax i.d. number is 48-0547734. If you already have named KU Endowment in your estate plan, please contact us so we can welcome you to the Elizabeth M. Watkins Society. We also offer life-income gifts that provide income and immediate tax benefits. Call our director of gift planning at 800444-4201 during business hours, or visit kuendowment.org/giftplanning.
FALL 2011 I VOLUME 5 I NUMBER 1 KUENDOWMENT.ORG CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES A. Drue Jennings President Dale Seuferling Senior Vice President, Communications & Marketing Rosita Elizalde-McCoy Editor Charles Higginson Contributing Editors Lisa Scheller Katie Coffman Jessica Sain-Baird Jess Skinner Art DIRECTOR Chris Millspaugh assistant art director Melissa Meyer
CONTACT US KU Endowment Communications & Marketing P.O. Box 928 Lawrence, KS 66044-0928 785-832-7400 or toll-free 800-444-4201 Email: kugiving@kuendowment.org kuendowment.org POSTMASTER: Send address changes to KU Endowment, P.O. Box 928, Lawrence KS 66044-0928 KU Giving is published three times a year by KU Endowment, the private fundraising foundation for the University of Kansas. You are receiving this magazine because you support KU. We welcome your comments, suggestions and questions.
- FOUNDED 1891 -
PRESIDENT’S NOTE
What’s in a name?
W
hen we set out to name the next comprehensive campaign for the university, we had a few lofty goals. The name had to be evocative and inspirational. It needed to relate to KU and its unique history, to reflect pride in the Jayhawk spirit. We didn’t want a generic name that could apply to any institution in the nation. We also wanted to make sure it described what the campaign would do for KU. How would the university emerge at the end of this effort? Finally, the name had to be meaningful not just to those who attended the Lawrence campus as undergraduates, but to a broader group — alumni of the professional schools, friends of our cultural centers and museums, and grateful patients of The University of Kansas Hospital. First, we came up with a tagline that would work with any name: The Campaign for Kansas. It captures the essence of our role as the flagship university for the state. A gift to KU will touch every corner of the state. The success of our university and our state are inextricably linked. We considered about a dozen possible names, but none met our goals. Finally, we realized that the name was staring us in the face, waiting to be discovered. That name is Far Above. Most alumni will instantly recognize it as the first two words of our alma mater. It also describes KU’s iconic main campus on Mt. Oread. Those who
are not alumni may not make those associations, but they will immediately understand the high aspirations those two simple words convey. In the near future, you will hear about the goals of this campaign, expressed both as dollars and as specific plans to raise KU to new heights. Our staff and volunteer leaders already are working diligently to secure the private funding we need to succeed. The name has a certain ring to it, I hope you agree. Far Above: The Campaign for Kansas. Let’s go!
Dale Seuferling, President
KUENDOWMENT.ORG | 3
up front mark mcdonald
Curb appeal: KU Endowment’s new building in Kansas City, Kan., is as energy-efficient as it is attractive.
A home of our own KU Endowment’s offices in Kansas City recently moved to a new location. Our new Medical Center office is at 4125 Rainbow, Kansas City, Kan. Our first office at the Medical Center was established in 1961, with eight full-time employees. After several moves, often into out-of-the-way older buildings, the current staff moved in April to a building in a prominent location that incorporates advanced building technologies. KU Endowment occupies the third floor. KU Medical Center’s Center for Health Behavior Neuroscience, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, and
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Department of Family Medicine occupy the first and second floors. The 41,554-square-foot building is heated and cooled by a geothermal system that takes advantage of the stability of underground temperatures. Indirect lighting reduces glare and heat, and a smart ventilation system automatically adjusts fresh air intake based on occupancy. Based on these and other features, we will submit the facility for gold-level certification in the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Come see us — 4125 Rainbow, Suite 300, Kansas City, Kan.
Write to us
KU Giving, KU Endowment P.O. Box 928, Lawrence, KS 66044-0928 Email: kugiving@kuendowment.org Fax: 785-832-7493 We welcome your comments on our magazine and invite you to share your KU experiences with our readers. Please include your name, address, email and daytime phone. Letters may be edited for length and clarity; we assume letters are intended for publication unless the writer indicates otherwise.
EVERY GIFT MATTERS
For the good of the heart Former patient inspires fund for cardiac nurses Employees at The University of Kansas Hospital are out to prove that generosity is contagious. More than 100 donors — many of them hospital staff — have contributed to the Robert A. Long Cardiology Nursing and Staff Development Fund, established in memory of former patient Bob Long, a man known for his good deeds. Mazie Long wanted to honor Bob, her husband of 52 years, with a gift that would carry on his legacy of giving back. So she gave $10,000 to start a fund to support continuing education of registered cardiac nurses and staff of the hospital’s Center for Advanced Heart Care, where Bob received care for several years. Longtime friends Joe and
Susan Morris soon donated a matching gift, raising the fund to endowed status. Nurses and staff at the hospital returned the generosity with hundreds of gifts to the fund; several contribute every month through payroll deduction. The endowment’s earned interest, along with these additional gifts, will support the cardiac nurses’ continuing education needs for decades. “Bob always felt nurses played such an important part in his heart care, both in the hospital and in the doctors’ offices,” Mazie said. “For the majority of patients’ time in the hospital, it’s the nurses and staff who are there for them.” Mazie and Bob met as accounting majors at KU, graduated together in 1957, married less than two weeks later, and had two children, who also became KU grads. Bob was well
known not only for his generosity and willingness to serve the Kansas City community, but also for his business know-how. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Bob served on countless advisory committees and boards, and was a leader of Arthur Anderson & Co., Commonwealth Theatres and JE Dunn Construction, where he retired as chairman in 2008. He also served as a KU Endowment Trustee. He died in December 2009. — Katie Coffman
PUT YOUR HEART INTO IT
To honor Bob Long’s memory and support the professional development of the dedicated cardiac nurses and staff at KU, visit kuendowment.org/cardiacnurse or contact Kevin Flattery at 913-945-5726 or kflattery@kumc.edu.
JAY SENTER
Employees who have donated to the Robert A. Long Cardiology Nursing and Staff Development Fund gathered to meet Bob’s wife, Mazie, and friend Susan Morris, who helped establish the fund. Mazie Long is at lower right, and Susan Morris stands next to her (white jacket).
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ACROSS KU mark mcdonald
A birthday Q&A with Baby Jay Do you remember hatching? Yep! I met my bestest friend in the whole wide world that day — Big Jay. We’ve had so much fun! How many events do you attend a year? I have trouble counting that high, but Big Jay let me count on his feathers to figure it out — 300 to 350 events, including games, private events and university events. Whoa! I’m a little tuckered just thinking about it! How many are not athletic events? We did 150 to 200 non-athletic events last year. We fly a lot of miles! Do you ever get tired? Sometimes, but after a little nap and a snack I’m good to go!
Gotta love it — KU’s perpetually youthful mascot, Baby Jay, celebrates 40 irrepressible years.
Happy birthday, Baby Forty years ago, one of KU’s biggest stars was hatched. The simple idea to give Big Jay a little friend has become a beloved tradition. As a KU freshman, Amy Hurst, physical therapy, ’74, imagined Baby Jay, created the costume and was the first to portray the character. She emerged from a huge egg at halftime of the October 9, 1971, KU vs. K-State Homecoming football game. Since then, Baby Jay has waved her way into the hearts of thousands. Today, a squad of three or four students, chosen by competitive tryouts, portrays Baby Jay’s “birdality.” They earn 6 | KU GIVING | FALL 2011
a small stipend, plus a portion of fees for private and corporate appearances. Two or three costumes are used in rotation. Their projected life is three years, but Baby Jay is a very active bird, and sometimes repair is necessary. Suits cost up to $5,000 — the heads alone cost $3,000 — so coordinators try to replace just body parts, shoes and gloves, using the heads as long as possible. A reunion of Baby Jay portrayers is scheduled as part of this year’s Homecoming. — Jess Skinner
How many different outfits do you wear? My closet is so full! I have uniforms for football, men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, baseball and softball. There’s my costume for Halloween — I am the cutest pumpkin — plus a turtle suit, a cape and scepter for when I’m feeling fancy, Mario (Big Jay has Luigi), a tuxedo for black-tie events, lots of casual clothes for non-athletic events. Do you have any favorite colors? Crimson and blue, of course! They just make me so happy. What size are your boots? Really, really big — I think a 36, triple wide! What’s your favorite university? What kind of sillyhead question is that? Rock Chalk, go KU! How do they pay for your clothes and traveling? KU Endowment’s Original Baby Jay Fund sure helps! If you want to send me a birthday present, you could contact Burke Beeler at 785-832-7443 or bbeeler@kuendowment.org, or visit kuendowment.org/babyjay.
Stupendous studio KU Libraries are a “home away from home” for many students — making the Learning Studio a home renovation. The Learning Studio offers a comfortable and innovative learning space for students in Anschutz Library. In the first phase of construction, workers transformed two floors in the library to include comfortable study areas, state-of-the-art classrooms, technical support, an expanded deli, rooms for writing consultations and tutoring, and KU Info, the university’s comprehensive information service. Students provided input every step of the way with surveys, focus groups and other assessment efforts.
Since staffers increased the visibility of academic services — such as tutoring sessions — use of these services in the Learning Studio has risen. “KU students want the opportunity to learn in ways that best suit their individual styles, and seamless access to the services and resources critical to achievement,” said Jennifer ChurchDuran, KU Libraries assistant dean for user services and chair of the Learning Studio executive committee. Phase I construction began in 2009. Overall, the Learning Studio is a $5.5 million project, and the Libraries still aim to raise just less than $5 million as Phase II of construction begins.
“This engaging environment, conducive to learning and genuine community building, supports student achievement,” Church-Duran said. “It is just the start to an innovative new approach to informal learning spaces and well-positioned services.” — Jessica Sain-Baird
A home for learning To support continued development of the Learning Studio, contact Debbie McCord at 785-832-7372 or dmccord@kuendowment.org, or visit kuendowment.org/libraries.
Evolution of a masterpiece “The Treatise progresses.” When KU professor of geology Raymond C. Moore included this phrase nearly 60 years ago in plans for the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, he could not have imagined how far it would progress. The Treatise forms the bedrock of knowledge about ancient and
steve puppe
contemporary invertebrates — animals without backbones. It includes detailed illustrations and scientific descriptions contributed by researchers around the globe, making it the world’s most authoritative source. It has been edited and produced at KU from the beginning, but few residents of Kansas know it exists, said Paul Selden, current editor of the Treatise. “But among paleontologists, everyone has heard of Lawrence and the University of Kansas.” Selden, Gulf-Hedberg Distinguished Professor of Invertebrate Paleontology, directs the Paleontological Institute, a unit within KU’s Biodiversity Institute. First published in 1953, the Treatise has grown to a walloping 51 dark blue hardbound books and an estimated 30,000 pages. And now, it has progressed even All 51 volumes of the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, farther — every page, every illustration, every description on one DVD held by Paul Selden, editor of the Treatise.
is in digital format. Individual chapters, CDs of volumes and a DVD of the entire set are available at modest fees. The goal has never been to profit from sales, but to make information accessible to anyone, anywhere. Funding from KU Endowment, including a fund established by Moore’s bequest, helped support the transition from paper to digital formats. In the late 1940s, the Paleontological Society invited Moore to lead development of the Treatise. As chief editor, he initially recruited 105 authors, representing 62 institutions in 16 countries. Early sponsors of the Treatise also included the Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, the Palaeontographical Society and the Geological Society of America. Moore, who died in 1974, would likely approve of the Treatise’s appearance online. “We should contribute in every possible way to making it available wherever desired,” he once wrote. “It will prove most useful as it is continuously consulted and used.” — Lisa Scheller KUENDOWMENT.ORG | 7
WHY I GIVE Snapshots
“We love our grandchildren and try to support them and
the schools they attend. We don’t have a lot of money, but we will spread it as far as it will go.” William and Betty Lusk Dayton, Tenn. $100,000 — to renovate the women’s swimming locker room in honor of their granddaughter, Alison Lusk, a swimmer on scholarship at KU.
“We’re looking at a serious shortage of engineering talent in this
country, and we’re excited to partner with the School of Engineering to prepare the next generation to lead the way in a competitive global economy.” Scott T.R. Coons, B.S. Engineering 1991, and Elizabeth Green Coons, College 1994 Lawrence, Kan. $100,000 — for the School of Engineering
“If this scholarship helps three or four students
a year in the beginning, we may have saved three or four people from oblivion, and chances are, they will be very talented people.” Dean Werries, B.S. 1952, business, and Marjean Werries Oklahoma City, Okla.
English department to work toward their goals.” Jo Ann Klemmer M.A. 1963, English Topeka, Kan. $35,000 — for graduate research assistance, English Department
$100,000 — for a scholarship for hearing-impaired students with financial need, in honor of Marjean, who has had longtime hearing loss.
“I established the Robert F. Frakes Memorial Scholarship
to support my husband’s dream of inspiring and assisting students to determine and pursue a lifetime goal-oriented plan. The plan would focus on career goals and also acknowledge responsibilities to individuals and the community.” Elizabeth M. Frakes B.A. 1947, CLAS, MSN University of Iowa professor emeritus of Allied Health Kansas City, Kan. $30,000 by tax-free IRA rollover — to the Accounting and Information Systems Division, School of Business, to enhance a scholarship she endowed earlier in memory of her husband.
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“It is gratifying to be able to enable students in the
“All I need to consider are the great KU-educated
interns and employees I’ve hired over the years to know giving to KU is not only useful but a real ‘thank you.’ ” Richard Clarkson B.S. Journalism 1955 Denver $200,000 — to create the Rich Clarkson Multimedia Gallery, School of Journalism
WHY I GIVE Estate gifts
“Harriette championed the view that inner-city
school teachers needed specialized training like the KU PDS program. That program was integral to her 34 years as an inner-city school educator.” Jack Horner, B.A. 1969, Mathematics, M.A. 1976, Philosophy, and Clancey Maloney, B.S. 1971, Journalism Los Alamos, NM $50,000 — in memory of Jack’s sister Harriette J. Horner, to the Professional Development School Alliance in the School of Education
“Our contributions are in recognition of Dr. Varghese’s dedication for
almost half of his lifetime to an institution he adores. We hope this will inspire students and doctors to follow his exemplary service.”
The last full measure Many people make their most significant gifts to KU through their estates, by including KU Endowment in their wills or trust arrangements. Recent estate gifts include: William F. Anderson: to support study of spinal deformities, School of Medicine
Joseph and Jenny Melookaran, Overland Park, Kan.
Frances S. Brown, B.A. 1938: for scholarships at Miller and Watkins scholarship halls
$15,000 — toward the Dr. George Varghese Professorship in Rehabilitation Medicine in the School of Medicine
Darthea S. diZerega: for an honor award, Department of Geology; and the Wheat Law Library
$10,000 — for the George Varghese, MD, Spine Learning and Resource Center
Marvin I. Dunn, M.D., B.A. 1950, M.D. 1954, M.C.R. 1959: to create a professorship, School of Medicine E. Clifford Gordon, B.S. 1933: for unrestricted uses at KU
“service as a donor
is a small measure compared to the great benefits received at KU. In my years in the schools of engineering and business at KU, I received education, training and guidance that have served us well, especially during the trying years of starting and developing a business.” Norman Carroll, B.S. Business 1947, M.S. Engineering 1951, and Virginia Carroll (with granddaughter Alayna Carroll) Butler, Pa. $30,000 — for the Norman and Virginia Carroll Fund, Mechanical Engineering
“Education is important for every person and benefits all society.
Increasingly complex issues face our nation, and innovation and creative processes are able to generate ideas that can be applicable to a wide array of businesses and social institutions. The innovation center at KU is a national leader in empowering students and faculty to examine many ideas in a nurturing environment.” Mark Pigott CEO of PACCAR Bellevue, Wash. $100,000 — to honor the retirement from PACCAR of Tom Plimpton, accounting 1971, by creating the Tom Plimpton Innovation Studio and the Tom Plimpton Innovation Fund, both at KU’s new Center for Design Research.
William J. Griffith: to provide research materials related to Latin America, KU Libraries J.G. “Joe” Hollowell Jr., M.D.: to support a pediatric endocrinology symposium, School of Medicine Douglas Kay, B.A. 1954: for unrestricted uses at KU Margaret R. Miller: for unrestricted uses, School of Engineering; and for scholarships, School of Architecture, Design and Planning Estate gifts to benefit KU should be written to KU Endowment. Please contact our Office of Planned Giving, 785-832-7329, when you set up your estate to make sure your wishes can be fulfilled. If you have included KU Endowment in your estate plans, please let us know so we can recognize you in the Elizabeth Watkins Society. We respect all requests for confidentiality.
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WHY I GIVE featured gifts
Better care in our own backyard Courtesy Hall Family Foundation
Don and Adele Hall have thrown their support behind KU’s effort to achieve recognition by the National Cancer Institute, continuing their long history as KU benefactors.
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Getting behind NCI A recent $5 million gift will help The University of Kansas Cancer Center in its quest to achieve National Cancer Center Institute (NCI) designation. Don and Adele Hall, Mission Hills, Kan., gave $4.5 million for the cancer center and an additional $500,000 for KU’s Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation. The gift counts as part of Far Above: The Campaign for Kansas, a comprehensive campaign led by KU Endowment, which is scheduled for a spring 2012 public kickoff. “We are thankful for the support of Don and Adele Hall in our mission to bring an NCI-designated cancer center to this region,” said Roy Jensen, M.D., director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center. “We have researchers here who are devoting their entire careers to finding ways to prevent and treat cancer. Every day, they’re working on cutting-edge cancer research, and they are making progress. This is what the drive for NCI designation is all about — finding ways to treat and stop cancer in our own backyard.” The Halls’ gift to the Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation will boost the development of drugs and treatments for pediatric cancer patients, in partnership with Children’s Mercy
Hospital and Clinics. The institute was established in 2008 with a gift from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to foster collaborative discovery and development of new drugs and medical devices. The Halls, longtime KU supporters, have given previously to support multiple causes: the Hall Center for the Humanities, Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, Lied Center of Kansas, Spencer Museum of Art, KU Medical Center, KU School of Medicine and Reach Out and Read Kansas City. Cancer center partners include research and healthcare professionals associated with the KU Medical Center and The University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kan.; KU’s Lawrence campus; the KU School of MedicineWichita; and the members of the Midwest Cancer Alliance.
Why We Give “We are fortunate to be able to help in efforts to better understand and
treat this terrible disease. We recognize this gift pales in comparison to the extraordinary commitment of the voters of Johnson County in their support of this effort. Hopefully, through all of us working together, we can make the goal of NCI designation a reality.” — Don and Adele Hall
Here, there and everywhere Multidisciplinary support
Tom and Judy Bowser Cancer Patient Care Support Fund: unrestricted support of cancer patient care initiatives, such as patient navigation, at The University of Kansas Hospital Tom and Judy Bowser Cancer Research Fellowship: support for innovative cancer research by a research fellow at The University of Kansas Cancer Center
Why We Give “It is our good fortune to be able to
repay the KU programs that have so heavily influenced our lives.” — Tom Bowser “Public education needs private support
now more than ever.” — Judy Bowser
doug koch / ku university relations
Two alumni donors have made a $4 million gift commitment that expresses their gratitude for programs throughout the Lawrence and Kansas City campuses. Tom and Judy Bowser, Olathe, recently confirmed estate plans to support The University of Kansas Cancer Center, the KU athletic department, the School of Music and the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Tom, a 1968 journalism graduate, was a captain of KU’s first Big 8 championship swimming team and a member of KU’s All-American 4x100 relay team. He recently retired as president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City and as chairman of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association in Chicago. He is a member of KU Endowment’s Board of Trustees, the KU Advancement Board, and the Advisory Board for KU’s Edwards Campus. Judy earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from KU in 1969. A 32-year music educator, she served as a piano teacher, choir director and classroom teacher in the Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley, Kan., and Jenks, Okla., school systems, and at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kan. She has said her experience at KU fundamentally aided her success. She also is a three-year cancer survivor, following her care at The University of Kansas Cancer Center.
The Bowsers’ gifts will establish five funds:
Judy Bowser Music Scholarship: support for students in the School of Music with interest in pursuing careers as music educators Bowser/Reamon Olympic Athletes Scholarship: support for members of men’s Olympic sports teams; honoring Dick Reamon, who, as a KU student swimmer, was named all-conference six times; as KU’s head swimming coach, he led teams to eight consecutive Big 8 championships (1968 – 1975) Tom Bowser Journalism Scholarship and Bowser-Hickerson Lecture Series: both in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. The lecture series honors the professional partnership of Tom Bowser and Ken Hickerson, who worked together at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas City.
A gift from alumni Tom and Judy Bowser will benefit students, faculty and programs in four areas in Lawrence and Kansas City.
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By Julie Mettenburg
By 2008, Kansas Senate President Steve Morris had heard enough. Economic growth in Kansas was not keeping pace with other states. He started asking why, talking to heads of industry, digging deeper.
E
ansas had jobs, all right, and some were well paid hightech jobs. Eighty percent of science and technology jobs in Kansas are in engineering and information technology. The state boasts numerous engineering industries — biotechnology, aerospace, architectural design/ build, electronics, software development, agriculture, manufacturing and more. They provide a third of the state’s payroll and tax base, and engineering-intensive commodities generate two-thirds of the value of our exports. The problem? The state’s three engineering schools weren’t producing enough graduates. Too many of those jobs were going unfilled, or going to out-of-state recruits who would leave after only a few years. The state was at risk of losing companies and stalling economic development.
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“It’s not that there are gaps in KU’s engineering department,” says Morris. “They produce high-quality engineers, but we are just not getting enough of them. There will be additional pressure for more faculty and bricks and mortar, so we have to be prepared.” To address the problem, the state legislature this year dedicated funds to boost engineering education in the state, and provided bonding authority to KU to finance new construction. KU’s school of engineering had already begun addressing the challenge, having launched a 10-year strategic plan in 2003 to build graduate numbers, research programs and facilities. Now, the school has crafted a new long-range plan, the “Building on Excellence Initiative,” that aims to meet several ambitious goals by 2018.
FY2011
FY2018
1,792
2,303
Enrollment Undergraduate Master’s
452
536
Doctoral
188
250
B.S. graduates Research expenditures Faculty
300
410
$21M
$35M
105
135
A Wichita-built Bombardier Learjet 40 XR cruises above the clouds. KU received increased funding from the legislature in May, to boost the supply of Kansas-educated engineers for aviation and other industries.
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courtesy of Bombardier Inc.
School of Engineering plans for expansion
earl richardson
Senior Sarah Elizabeth McCandless helped build this 9-foot-long airplane. She attached tiny sensors to its wings in an experiment to measure inflight strain.
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Nearly double high-tech research areas, classroom and office space “Space is vital,” says Dean of Engineering Stuart Bell. “Our success so far has brought us to capacity. We need more faculty, but we need space for them to teach and conduct research. As our student body grows, we also need space for the club and classroom projects that are so important to learning.” This summer, aerospace engineering senior Sarah Elizabeth McCandless worked on research with a KU team to design a simulator to evaluate airplane performance. She says this type of experience brings her learning together, and that students in the future will benefit from the school’s initiative. She says material covered in her freshman and sophomore years would have benefited from the hands-on opportunities that she didn’t have at KU until later years. “The hands-on experience is really important,” she says. “If you really build an airplane — physically do it and not just in a lab — or do a design project, you learn so much more from that experience.” Contributing to the Building on Excellence Initiative could make a broad difference in the world, McCandless says: “Many items you use every single day were designed by an engineer. Projects and designs that KU engineers create and execute have far-reaching impacts beyond our own community.”
JoAnn Browning, professor of civil engineering, says the school’s dedication to faculty will preserve KU’s student/ faculty ratio in the face of growth — a core value that has been central to KU’s ability to turn out top-flight engineers despite limitations on facilities. “Here, what really impressed me was the close interaction between faculty and students, and that made up for the facilities,” Browning says. Although facilities shortcomings largely disappear by the time students reach upper-level classes, she says the school’s retention rate is not what it could be. “We need to make this next step so we can move forward,” she says. “Students have relied on close-knit faculty involvement with their classes, so we try not to have lecturers and to give them a personal touch.” Browning appreciates KU’s resources, particularly from KU Endowment. “When I talk to colleagues at other big-name schools — Purdue, Texas, Berkeley — they are amazed. We are reaching out and getting support, not just from the state but also our donors, we are taking the right steps forward, and it makes me really proud to be here. That’s what makes it great to work here — such a great attitude for faculty and the support of alumni and our donors.”
Raise average annual research awards per faculty member, and boost graduate student recruitment and research programs to improve doctoral student development
Add faculty as enrollment grows to maintain student/faculty ratio The school intends to grow undergraduate enrollment from 1,800 in 2011 to 2,300 in 2018. With similar gains in graduate enrollment, the school will need 30 additional faculty to maintain its current student/faculty ratio, about 22:1.
david f. McKinney / ku university relations
Although the school’s emphasis for growth is on undergraduate programs, stronger graduate and research programs create the foundation. “To have a leading engineering program in the nation, the research and discovery pieces are absolutely critical,” Bell says. “We will be recruiting additional faculty through the initiative. They are going to want to be at a place where we have very vibrant research and graduate programs.” The issue is circular: A top-flight program will attract leading-edge faculty who want to remain here, so they can bring that excitement to the classroom. To recruit them, the school needs good facilities and strong graduate students. “That reflects on the school, university and state,” Bell says. “Graduate programs will be very important to raising the prominence and recognition of KU.” Graduate and research work also are critical to economic development, he says, as new technology is developed for products and companies. “Whether you’re talking about the next iPad, or the next vehicle propulsion system, or new fuels or chemicals to be produced in a green fashion, those are closely tied to graduate and research programs,” he says. Professor JoAnn Browning watches in the background as her civil engineering students assess the characteristics of a concrete beam.
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“Those will be very important to the state as companies look to Kansas to move here and hire.” Several funding sources have supported progress thus far: alumni and corporate gifts, tuition investments and state and federal dollars (the National Institute of Standards and Technology invested $12 million in a new building, currently under construction). Going forward, even more will be needed. “A lot of investment is occurring now from many different partners,” Bell says. “Our alumni have really allowed us to be where we are today, but there are greater opportunities now.”
Significant expansion while taking explicit care to maintain and improve high-quality student programs Greg Graves is CEO of Burns & McDonnell, a Kansas Citybased engineering firm with nearly 30 offices around the country. When he talks about the KU School of Engineering,
he wears multiple hats: as an engineer, a CEO, a donor and, most important, a dad of two KU engineering students. Graves’ daughter, Kristin, is a 2009 graduate in civil engineering; his son, Greg Jr., is a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering. As a CEO, he says it’s a simple matter of supply and positioning Kansas to meet demand. “I have seen that classroom sizes are reaching their peaks, that lab space is getting to the point where you can’t take on any more kids,” he says. “The demand is out there, so, assuming we want engineering to be part of our society, we have to provide the supply.” As a donor, Graves is pleased with Bell’s leadership and the state’s action to beef up its engineering force. “I expect a couple of things: a good plan in place to spend my dollars wisely, and then to produce great results,” he says. “Dr. Bell has a terrific plan in place, and as we all know, part of it is already under construction.” With his parent hat on, Graves turns to perhaps his most vested interests. “This initiative tells me that the state and KU have said to parents, and obviously to students, that we’re committed to the excellence of our engineering programs,” he ryan waggoner
A federal grant of more than $12 million funded current construction at the School of Engineering. The Measurement, Materials and Sustainable Environment Center, scheduled for completion in early 2012, will be a 43,000-square-foot laboratory incorporating the latest in green technologies and research space for interdisciplinary engineering projects. 16 | KU GIVING | FALL 2011
says. “I already see that in employees who work for me, and in my daughter. That continued, consistent commitment to excellence in the field is important for a parent.” Graves says what’s most important is that KU turns out great engineers. “KU continues to produce a great product,” he says. “They really can compete with engineers from schools at any level.”
Increase by 60 percent the number of bachelor’s-level engineering graduates by 2018 Bell says, “Recruiting more high school students to enroll in engineering is only part of the solution. We’ve got to make sure more of the students we bring in as engineers walk down the Hill as engineers. That means identifying what it takes to keep more students excited about these majors and help them master the higher-level science and math skills they’ll need.” State Senate President Steve Morris — a farmer from western Kansas — admits to dropping out of engineering in college because it was too rigorous. In fact, he’s now working with school districts and engineering firms to improve the preparation of K-12 students in Kansas for the rigors of an engineering degree. And he understands the central role of engineering: “This is very important, not just to KU, but to the state. Engineers are the glue that holds economic development together. This will make a lasting mark on the economy and help us to go forward in the 21st century in a big way.” One of the legislature’s key goals is to preserve the vitality of engineering-intensive industries in Kansas, and Morris says it’s important to supply good, homegrown engineering talent. He emphasizes that the legislature acted despite a tough economic and political year. “To me, this is very significant,” he says. “As a legislature, we tend to spend all of our time, money and resources reacting to the fires burning at the time, and there’s nothing left to project into the future. This case is an exception. We are working into the future, and preparing the state to be very aggressive going down the road.”
The Building on Excellence Initiative received a huge boost in May. Charles E. “Charlie” Spahr and his wife, Mary Jane “Janie” Spahr, gave $13 million to KU during their lifetimes. But they saved the best for last: They left $32 million to KU Endowment through their estate to benefit the School of Engineering. Their $45 million total puts them among the most generous donors to KU. Charlie grew up in Independence, Mo., and earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from KU in 1934. Janie grew up in Sugar Creek, Mo., and was a member of the KU Class of 1938. Charlie died in 2009, and Janie died in 2010. They lived most of their lives in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Charlie joined Standard Oil of Ohio in 1939. During World War II, he served in the Army Corps of Engineers. He rejoined Standard Oil, becoming president in 1957 and chief executive officer in 1959, a position he held until retiring in 1977. Charlie served on the planning committees for the engineering library and Summerfield Hall. He was a longtime trustee of KU Endowment, area vice president of the KU Alumni Association’s Cleveland chapter, and an honorary lifetime member of the School of Engineering Advisory Board. He received the university’s Distinguished Service Citation in 1964, the Distinguished Engineering Service Award in 1980 and the Fred Ellsworth Medallion in 1983.
“This is very important, not just to KU, but to the state. Engineers are the glue that holds economic development together.” — Steve Morris KUENDOWMENT.ORG | 17
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brian goodman (all)
Let’s go outside So says Helen Alexander, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. And so she did this fall, with students in her class, “Kansas Plants and Landscapes.” “A lot of people, even biology students, don’t get out into natural areas as often as one might think,” Alexander said. “It seemed like a perfect opportunity to go out to the native prairie we have at the Field Station and teach a course entirely outside, devoted to learning about plants and prairies.” Alexander also discussed other Kansas landscapes. “Most students today know nothing about agriculture, so we talk about corn, soybeans and other crops,” she said. Alexander joined the KU faculty in 1987 and, in 2007, was named a Chancellors Club Teaching Professor, a designation professors hold as long as they teach at KU. The professorship program is funded by donors to KU Endowment’s Greater KU Fund.
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To clear E By Charles Higginson/Photos by Steve Puppe
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“A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.” — Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Earth’s eye Potter Lake offers an essential spot for contemplation amid the hustle and bustle of a busy campus. For a hundred years, it has reminded those who seek tranquility of the importance of balance, nature and beauty in our daily lives.
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T
he lake was built originally to supply water for fire protection of the growing KU campus. Work began in October 1910, and the lake was dedicated June 5, 1911. Opening ceremonies included a concert by the University Band, a water sports program organized by Athletic Director James Naismith, swimming races, a diving contest, water games and a canoe regatta. State Senator Thomas M. Potter, a former member of the Board of Regents, for whom the lake was named, attended.
the group has worked with faculty, staff and community members to remove excess aquatic vegetation, install aerators, dredge the lake, remove sediment and build a new sediment basin at the south end. Student Senate, the Office of the Chancellor and Facilities Operations provided funding. Alumni gifts also have helped, especially those of Patrick and Brenda Oenbring, Houston, and Philippe Adam, Paris, France. Potter Lake continues to define the campus area west of the Campanile. A popular place to unwind, it has become one of the oldest and most beloved fixtures on the Hill. To maintain it for future generations, more work is needed. courtesy university archives
Preserve Potter: four ways you can help The Potter Lake Project report is based on 18 months of research and scientific analysis by students, in consultation with KU professors and university and community professionals. You can help this multi-year effort by supporting any of these elements of the project plan. Renovate the historic stone bridge and pathways. Renovation of the deteriorating bridge and pathways will ensure continued enjoyment of this campus icon for future generations and help to prevent further erosion.
Years ago, students considered Potter Lake a great place for a cooling dip.
For several years, a program took place at Potter Lake during commencement. A diving tower and springboard were installed in 1914. By the mid-1920s, the municipal water supply to campus had been improved, eliminating the need for a firefighting reservoir. Questions arose as to whether the lake should be drained, but eventually it was left in a relatively natural state. Over the years Potter Lake became a popular place for students seeking peace and quiet in the summer and ice-skating in the winter. A seven-hole golf course was constructed on the nearby slopes, but it was abandoned after World War II. A dance pavilion on the west slope, a gift of the class of 1943, hosted sock hops through the ’50s. It still exists, but it needs repair. By the late 1950s, the lake was noticeably silting in, reducing its depth near the dam by 10 feet. In 1958, the university drained and dredged the lake. Workers dug cars, tires, trash barrels and other debris out of the silt and built a silt-catching pond at the south (uphill) end. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the lake area was the scene of many protests and sit-ins protesting the Vietnam War and supporting civil rights. The lake continued to be plagued by pollution. In 1999, Potter Lake made a list of 120 polluted bodies of water compiled by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Algae harmful to animals and fish were found growing there. Another blow came in March 2000, when a transformer exploded behind Strong Hall, leaking oil that flowed through storm drains into the lake. In 2008, students founded the Potter Lake Project to promote restoration of the lake area. Over the past few years, 22 | KU GIVING | FALL 2011
Restore the Class of 1943 Dance Pavilion. Trim back vegetation, restore grill pits and picnic tables, replant flower bed with native flowering plants, and build a pathway to the parking area near Carruth-O’Leary Hall. Electrical power already has been restored to this site, which hosted many social functions 40 and more years ago. It remains a central location that offers views largely unchanged from its heyday. Construct an ADA-compliant pathway from Memorial Stadium parking to Memorial Drive, with lighting every 75 – 100 feet. The topography to the west of the lake allows for ADA-compliant sloping. This walkway will improve overall pedestrian movement through the central campus. Renovate the historic pump house and overflow pipe. Not a glamorous project, but one that is critical to maintaining the future water quality and operation of the lake. To support efforts to preserve Potter Lake for future generations of Jayhawks, contact Dale Slusser at dslusser@kuendowment.org or 785-832-7458, or visit kuendowment.org/potter.
Potter Lake stats
Cost to build dam: $3,250 Dam: 400 feet long, 60 feet at base, 8 feet at top Lake area: almost two acres Original capacity: 4 million gallons Current capacity: 1.6 million gallons Original depth: 16 feet at dam Current depth: 6 feet at dam Record fish: 25-pound flathead catfish (John Trager, 1992)
More photos at kuendowment.org/potterphotos KUENDOWMENT.ORG | 23
Geisha, interrupted Most kimonos are soft, colorful, loosely flowing robes. This one is hard, colorless and utterly still. It’s made of kiln-cast glass, and recently became part of the collection of the Helen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art. A donation from Hope Talbot, Overland Park, Kan., covered the majority of the cost of the piece, named Chado — the Japanese name for the tea ceremony. The life-size sculpture evokes a kneeling Geisha in the act of offering tea. The artist, Karen LaMonte, first created an actual-size wax model of the sculpture, then made a mold from it. She cast the kimono by melting tiny grains of glass in a kiln heated to nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. After the molten glass flowed into the mold, she left it to rest in the kiln for three months as the material solidified, then gradually cooled and stabilized. The mold’s interior surface imparted a satin texture to the glass. LaMonte was born in the United States but has lived and worked primarily in Prague, Czech Republic, since 1999. Chado is one of a series of cast kimonos she created, using glass, bronze and ceramic materials. After a seven-month research fellowship in Kyoto, Japan, LaMonte spent four years making the kimono sculptures, working in four countries on three continents. — Charles Higginson
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Martin Polak / courtesy of spencer museum of art
new at ku
GREATER KU FUND
iStockphoto.com
Start ’em up KU hires 100 to 170 new faculty members every year, and the number is expected to increase as large numbers of current faculty members retire. Many of these new faculty members receive “start-up packages,” which enable them to quickly build and enhance programs crucial to KU’s continuing educational and research missions. Start-up funds are important in successful recruitment of the highest-
quality faculty and academic staff. They may be used for equipment, space renovation, supplies, travel (not moving expenses), laboratory services, expenses and salary costs for research support staff. Academic units often draw on the Greater KU Fund to create start-up packages, which also may tap state funds and other funding sources. It’s one more way the Greater KU Fund helps to jumpstart a greater university. — Charles Higginson
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The faithful
All in the family Even a non-Jayhawk would get excited about KU after talking to Dottie Thomas Dickey ’48, CLAS. Her family ties to KU began with her grandfather, Elmer F. Engel, who graduated in 1892. He stayed at KU, teaching German for more than 40 years and serving as registrar. Lawrence’s Engel Road is named for him. An additional 21 more of Dickey’s relatives have graduated from KU,
including five medical doctors, two Phi Beta Kappas, one Mortarboard, and one lawyer. Today, Dickey lives in Prairie Village, Kan., and is a faithful donor to KU Endowment. Since 1978, she has made 120 gifts, supporting various areas of KU, including the Engel German Library. Recently, she has focused her giving on the Greater KU Fund, which provides unrestricted support. “I like to designate
for unrestricted funds so that some of it goes to scholarships for current and future students,” Dickey said. KU has a way of staying in a person’s life — even for generations. That’s how it is with Dickey and her family — once a Jayhawk, always a Jayhawk. — Lisa Scheller
lisa scheller
Dottie Thomas Dickey’s family ties to KU extend to the 1880s. Her grandfather, Elmer Engel, lived near Daisy Hill, where Dickey fondly remembers picking daisies.
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KU VOICES
Back to the nest Neeli Bendapudi became Henry D. Price Dean of the KU School of Business Aug. 1. She earned her doctorate at KU in 1994 and has been on the faculty at The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business since 1996. She has researched consumer behavior in service businesses, especially health care. Bendapudi says, “I’m on Twitter (@NeeliBendapudi), I tweet regularly, and I would love for our alumni to follow. We need transparency, and I want our potential donors to know what their dean is doing.”
What brought you to KU?
What challenges and opportunities do you anticipate? The school has remarkable faculty; I would put them up against any. Our students are incredibly talented and have a wonderful work ethic. We have the key ingredients in place. The opportunities are tremendous. We need to make our offerings in the School of Business so compelling that anyone, anywhere might say, “I want to send my child there,” and young people might say, “That’s where I will get the best education.” To do that, my challenge will be to give our faculty and staff the resources to make it an attractive place for them.
Some lament the increasing consumerist attitude toward higher education. Given your interest in consumer behavior, how do you see this? Students invest a great deal of time and money to be here. It’s important to understand that they are individuals who deserve respect, because without them we’d be closing up shop. But we must convey to them that it’s not Burger King — they can’t have it their way. We need to do everything we can to serve the customer, but we need to tell students they are not our only customers. As a public university, we have a responsibility to the community, to their future employers, to their future teachers, to make sure we prepare them as well as we can. It’s a fine line, and I think students will understand it if we articulate it in those terms.
reason: So many entities are competing for the same limited dollars and time and attention, if we don’t speak with one voice we will get drowned out. Of course the university is always the place for debate about ideas, so “one voice” does not mean stifling dissent or forcing everybody to say the same thing. It’s an agreement about common goals. Our roots are firmly planted in the same concept, but our branches can all go different ways.
How do you see the role of private philanthropy in higher education? I absolutely believe in it. The era when the majority of our funds came from the state is gone. Without private philanthropy, we cannot compete as a community, as a state, as a country. But we have to go beyond fundraising and friendraising. We really need to show why it’s a good investment. Every alumnus is like a shareholder in the institution. The value of your own degree goes up as your alma mater rises in prestige. Lawrence Journal-World photo
I’m a second-generation Jayhawk. My father worked on his Ph.D. in English here from 1969 to 1972. The rest of us were back in India, and we heard all these wonderful stories and got wonderful gifts from Lawrence. I absolutely love KU. This always has been an amazingly warm and welcoming place. Counting my father, me, my husband, Venkat, and my two sisters, we have seven degrees from KU. I tell people, I will do anything for this university, and I have to do a good job. If I don’t, I have members of my own family to answer to.
Our students learn from professors whose research will appear in textbooks four years from now. My challenge is to articulate to students the benefit of a research university and why faculty research is so important. If we can make this the best place to study and the best place to work, the good ones will automatically come. Obviously funding is an issue. I am a businessperson. I believe we should say, “Invest in us — we will give a good return.” We want our friends, alumni and legislators to think this is the best place to invest.
How can a large, multidisciplinary entity like KU develop a unified public voice? I believe in the living brand, which means that in every single interaction the brand comes to life. Through what we do every day, we either build or erode KU’s brand. We need to have some sort of consistent voice, for a very practical
Neeli Bendapudi, KU’s new dean of business, combines long-standing personal ties with long-range vision.
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among friends
lisa scheller
Bob and Sue Malott, with the new portrait of Bob’s mother, Eleanor.
Beauty for beauty Bob Malott, son of the late Deane Malott, chancellor of KU from 1939 to 1951, and Bob’s wife, Sue, spent June 28 on the Lawrence campus. Among several events on a full day, they witnessed the unveiling of two portraits of Bob’s mother, the late Eleanor Malott, one at the KU Visitor Center, another in the Malott Room on the sixth floor of the Kansas Union. Artist John Martin painted the portraits from photographs of Eleanor Malott. The day included a luncheon with the chancellor and other guests in the North Gallery of Spencer Research Library, and a stop at Pioneer Cemetery to visit the graves of Deane and Eleanor Malott. When Deane Malott was chancellor, he and Eleanor worked to beautify the campus. She spearheaded projects to plant redbud, plum and crab apple trees and forsythia and other flowering shrubs. When the Class of 1945 planted 1,200 flowering crab apple trees along the north brow of Mount Oread, Eleanor went personally and watered them to make sure they grew.
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| FALL | KU | WINTER 28 | KU GIVING 2011 GIVING 2010
Visit kuendowment.phanfare.com
Our online photo gallery is chock full of ’Hawks. Find yourself and KU friends at these recent events that brought the flock together:
A banquet honoring many years of service to KU Endowment by John T. and Linda Bliss Stewart, June 1 University of Kansas Commencement, May 21-22 A Chancellors Club gathering in Salina, May 12 A ceremony for graduating Chancellors Club Scholars, May 7 The 2011 Watkins Society luncheon, April 26 The spring meeting of Women Philanthropists for KU honoring Elizabeth Watkins, April 16 A gathering of Lawrence area Chancellors Club Life Members, April 6
PAST AND PRESENT
steve puppe
With 34 years of combined experience as Audio-Reader volunteer readers, KU Endowment staff members Kathy Sanders and Max Mayse are comfortable in the recording studio.
Like a word on the wire For 40 years, the Kansas Audio-Reader Network has opened the world to blind and visually impaired residents of Kansas and western Missouri. The network airs more than 160 hours of recorded readings each week — daily newspapers, magazines, bestselling books and more — for thousands of listeners. Volunteers make the recordings, and subscribers receive them by closed-circuit radio, on the Internet, by telephone and with an app, iBlink Radio, for Apple mobile devices — all free. Today, services for blind and visually impaired people are disappearing, but Audio-Reader continues to broadcast and even to expand coverage. The network depends on more than 350 volunteers — and on donations. To help keep Audio-Reader on the air, contact Dale Slusser at 785-832-7458 or dslusser@kuendowment.org, or give online at kuendowment.org/audio. — Charles Higginson
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Find opportunities to build a greater university at www.kuendowment.org brian goodman