2024
REPORT ON GIVING
Giving to Center for Small Towns Provides University and Regional Support
Why
does Keith Davison give to UMN
Morris?
“Well, it’s part of my community. I live here, and I intend to stay here.”
There’s no question that Davison loves the University of Minnesota Morris, not to mention the Morris community. And he understands how interconnected the two are. An active, long-time member of the Morris community, he’s been an advocate for UMN Morris since its beginning.
Outreach from the campus to surrounding rural communities resonates with Davison, who strongly believes in developing and improving community partnerships. His annual gifts to the Center for Small Towns Fund—specifically the Clifford J. Benson Center for Community Partnerships—support student internships with governmental, educational, and community organizations in small towns. These gifts also support community-engaged faculty research and consulting opportunities that provide a better understanding of rural challenges.
Part of the UMN Morris campus, the Benson Center includes both the Center for Small Towns and the Office of Community Engagement, with the unified goal of addressing the needs of rural communities, something Davison feels passionate about. He considers the connections that are made because of the partnerships
A panel of scholarship recipients at the Salute to Scholarships event shared their appreciation for donors, who have made life-changing experiences possible through giving to scholarships.
Benson Center Director Argie Manolis with Keith Davison at the center’s dedication
between the campus and surrounding communities to be valuable—even necessary.
This year marks the Benson Center’s five-year anniversary. Davison recalls years back, meeting with then UMN Morris Chancellor Jacquie Johnson about her idea for “some sort of center” where the University could better engage with Morris and surrounding rural communities. Davison carried that idea forward, and eventually the center came to be.
Davison, along with Benson’s son Steve, was instrumental in naming the center after Benson, who Davison says played a vital role in getting members of the Minnesota legislature to come to Morris in the hopes that they would choose Morris for the new University of Minnesota campus.
“[Benson] was really instrumental in getting UMM here,” says Davison.
Davison sees supporting the UMN Morris Benson Center as much more than just supporting UMN Morris. For him, it’s about supporting the University, the town, and the region as a whole.
2024 GIFT DESIGNATIONS
Thank you for the many ways you support the University of Minnesota Morris—our students, faculty, staff, programs, and facilities. We are very grateful for your commitment and generosity.
2024 DONORS
Support15%
2024 Giving Highlights
$4,642,726
FISCAL YEAR 2024 TOTAL
75%
INCREASE IN MAX FUND* GIVING
75%
FUTURE GIFTS**
COUGAR PROUD BILLBOARDS, THANKS TO GENEROUS DONORS
*The Morris Academic eXperience Fund is a scholarship to support students who wish to enhance their academic career through activities, including but not limited to, internships, studying abroad, and community-engaged learning.
**Future gifts extend the impact of the donor’s generosity beyond their lifetime.
Discretionary Gifts Benefit Many Worthwhile Purposes
Richard Sandberg ’72 and Rex Levang have been giving to UMN Morris for several years but their decision to give to the Chancellor’s Discretionary Fund was based on a desire to give to UMN Morris without having to choose from the many meaningful options.
“There are always so many options [for where to give], so many worthwhile boxes to check, it’s hard to know what to do,” says Sandberg.
Ultimately, they decided on the discretionary fund for its flexibility— their contributions could go toward a wide range of purposes, and be used where most needed.
“I think with any organization, there are always unanticipated opportunities that arise … but are not part of the budget,” says Sandberg, “and a little discretionary money can help.”
Because of the unrestricted nature of their gift, Sandberg and Levang are confident that it will benefit UMN Morris in many ways wherever it is allocated. Sandberg thinks about the potential for unexpected opportunities or unforeseen circumstances and how their gift to the Chancellor’s Discretionary Fund can support that.
“Maybe it would enable a special recruitment trip [for enrollment], maybe a technology innovation, or possibly getting something new that helps the students,” Sandberg says.
What inspires them to give to UMN Morris? Sandberg says it’s the liberal arts education and the experience he had during his time as a student here.
“I had a wonderful experience … and I feel that the education I got at Morris was everything that a liberal arts education is supposed to be in terms of broadening my horizons, in helping me develop skills, to think about tough issues… I really love the place … and I just want to help in any way I can,” says Sandberg. “Morris is a wonderful place, great campus, great institution, and I want it to thrive.”
Morris is a wonderful place, great campus, great institution, and I want it to thrive.
—Richard Sandberg ’72 (on right)
Family History Inspires Alumna to Honor Land Ancestors
It was an Ancestry.com membership that led Judith Lies ’73 to go through the box of photos and family information from her mother. Before long, Lies was learning about the experiences her mother’s ancestors had with the Native Americans leading up to and during the U.S.Dakota War of 1862. Before the war, Lies’s great-great-grandfather, whose farm was near where the Dakota were living, regularly invited the Dakota into his home for a daily meal with his family or gave them extra food, as he knew the Dakota were starving at the time. On the day the war broke out, he and his older son were alone at the farm, which was close to the outbreak. He sent his son to warn the next farm. En route, the son was recognized by one of the Dakota men who’d been over for meals. To protect the son from the fighting, the man brought the son to where the Native American women and children were living high on the plateau, keeping him there. This man would end up saving the son three times from being killed in the midst of the conflict.
In the meantime, the younger son— Lies’s great-grandfather—was taken captive. He was later saved and protected by the nonfighting Dakota before being released to the U.S. Army. He eventually would write about his experience living with the Native Americans in a short book, which Lies discovered in the box from her mother.
“[A]ll he had to say was positive things about the Native Americans and their way of life and how he was treated,” says Lies.
Lies recalls sharing the story with her husband. “He said, ‘Because of the compassion and kindness of Native Americans I’m eating dinner with you now,’ and, I just began to sob,” says Lies.
The realization that she would not be here had it not been for the Native Americans who saved her family inspired Lies. So she set out to learn more about the conflict and the people, contemplating how she could give back.
“[It was] such an unthinkable thing that happened in our country … something good came to me from that, and that came from Native Americans,” says Lies. “I needed to honor that.”
Ultimately, she looked into what it would take to establish a selfperpetuating scholarship at UMN Morris, her alma mater, and she was pleasantly surprised.
“I was flabbergasted. I thought I would never be able to do it—I didn’t think I had anywhere near the amount of money that I could establish a scholarship that would be in perpetuity—but then I did find out … that I could do it, which was phenomenal for me.”
Any amount is helpful ... we can help people.
—Judith Lies ’73
When it was time to name the scholarship, Lies wanted to ensure that even the name honored the intentions behind the fund. After much reflection she settled on “Honoring the Wisdom of our Land Ancestors,” a title she feels speaks to Native Americans having “a natural, impenetrable, penetrating wisdom, a lived wisdom.”
Preference for the scholarship will be given to students who are from the Lower or Upper Sioux Tribes, and Lies is excited that it is being awarded for the first time in the fall of 2024.
“I want to help other people have an easier time going to college than I did … so that they can really dive deeply into it and enjoy it more, and maybe feel more like they can explore many more ideas that they have about their education,” says Lies. “And I want to help Native Americans have a bigger voice in our culture and world, on all levels and all areas.”
Finally, Lies wants others to know that they too can do something like this and do so much good.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Any amount is helpful … we can help people,” she says.
The Cougar Den fueling station is my go-to spot when I’m navigating my busy schedule!
—Jhazlyn Wynne ’27
Cougar Athletics Gift Fuels
Student-Athletes
Thanks to Minn-Dakota Coaches, Inc., the bus travel partner of Cougar Athletics, more than 300 Cougar student-athletes have easy access to on-the-go nourishment.
“The Cougar Den fueling station is my go-to spot when I’m navigating my busy schedule! It’s the perfect place to grab a quick snack in between class, practice, or work,” says Jhazlyn Wynne ’27.
Whether it’s between classes or practices, before or after competition or travel, studentathletes can stop by Cougar Den on the second floor of the Cougar Sports Center—the designated 24/7 fueling station—and know they’ll be able to find a healthy snack or something to drink.
The idea came about as a result of last year’s Cougar Days of Giving live broadcast event as a way to address the challenge studentathletes may face of finding food on and off campus at certain times of the day due to practice or game schedules, especially when other dining options are not be available or it’s outside of normal hours.
While the concept is not new (it’s
customary on a Division I campus) it’s not common for a Division III school.
“Thank you to Minn-Dakota Coaches for their support of our Cougar student-athletes,” said Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Matt Johnson ‘03. “Minn-Dakota Coaches has provided outstanding transportation service to Cougar athletes throughout the years, and our partnership has continued to evolve to support important ventures like [this one].”
Student-athletes like Claire Stark ’27, a forward on the Cougar women’s basketball team, often grab a healthy snack before or after practice.
University of Minnesota President’s Club
With gratitude, we welcome these fiscal year 2024 members to the University of Minnesota President’s Club and recognize those Morris donors who reached a new giving level.
HERITAGE SOCIETY
Dr. Jacqueline R. Johnson
Dennis A. Gimmestad
Paula L. O’Loughlin
Anonymous Donor
Bryan J. Herrmann and Jennifer A. Zych Herrmann, PhD
MORRILL SOCIETY
Van D. and Susan Gooch
Phil and Susie Schultz
Financial and other information about University of Minnesota Foundation’s purpose, programs, and activities can be obtained by contacting the Chief Financial Officer at 200 Oak Street SE, Suite 500, Minneapolis, MN 55455, (612) 624-3333, or for residents of the following states, as stated below. Maryland: For the cost of postage and copying, from the Secretary of State. Michigan: MICS No. 50198. New Jersey: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING (973) 504-6215 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT http://www.state.nj.us/ lps/ca/charfrm.htm. New York: A copy of our most recently filed financial report is available from the Charities Registry on the New York State Attorney General’s website at www.charitiesnys.com or, upon request, by contacting the New York State Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 28 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10005, or us at 200 Oak Street SE, Suite 500, Minneapolis, MN 55455. You may obtain information on charitable organizations from the New York State Office of the Attorney General at www.charitiesnys.com or (212) 4168401. Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of University of Minnesota Foundation may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Virginia: From the State Office of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218. Washington: From the Charities Program at 1-800-332-4483, or www.sos.wa.gov/ charities. West Virginia: West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305. CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEDUCTIBLE FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW. REGISTRATION IN A STATE DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION OF UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION BY THE STATE.
OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT
Welcome Center
600 East Fourth Street
Morris, Minnesota 56267-2132
ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED
Giving to UMN Morris
In partnership with the University of Minnesota Foundation, all gifts designated to UMN Morris are received by and invested in the Morris campus. The Foundation serves as the legal, charitable entity for the University System.
SUSAN SCHMIDGALL
senior director of advancement
320-589-6160 sschmidg@morris.umn.edu
ERIN CHRISTENSEN ’05 senior development officer
320-589-6067 erinc@morris.umn.edu
NADIA LAUER
senior development officer
320-589-6396 nadiaojl@morris.umn.edu
JENNIFER ZYCH HERRMANN ’00 development officer
320-589-6048 zychja@ morris.umn.edu
give.morris.umn.edu
Thanks to generous donors, Cougar Proud billboards grace the highways.
(On the cover) Environmental science students Zoe Hoaglund ’25, Maggie Landwer ’25, and Amalia Galvan ’24 (not pictured) traveled to Peru with Professor Michael Zavada to do water quality research with Universidad Nacional del Altiplano de Puno students.
The University of Minnesota shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, familial status, disability, public assistance status, membership or activity in a local commission created for the purpose of dealing with discrimination, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.