Archive for December 2006

12/20/06 — KSU Foundation promotes Richards, Friesen and Townsend to new staff positions

The KSU Foundation, Manhattan , Kan., has announced the promotions of three staff members: Mitzi Richards, Manhattan, Kan., Mark Friesen, Salina, Kan., and Liz Townsend, Manhattan.

Richards has been named senior director of corporate and foundation relations. Previously she was the senior director of development for the College of Engineering. Richards has been employed by the foundation since 1998. Prior to that, she was chief executive officer for Homecare and Hospice Inc., Manhattan. Richards earned a bachelor’s degree in the College of Human Ecology at K-State in 1978.

Friesen has been named director of development for K-State at Salina. He was previously a development officer for the College of Engineering. Prior to his employment with the foundation, Friesen was employed as an account executive for MarketAide Services Inc. in Salina. Friesen earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from K-State in 2002.

Townsend has been named development officer for the College of Engineering at K-State. She was previously employed as a development coordinator for the College of Engineering. Prior to joining the foundation, Townsend was the director of external relations for the College of Human Environmental Sciences at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Townsend earned a bachelor’s degree in textile and apparel management at the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 1996.

The KSU Foundation’s Changing Lives Campaign for Kansas State University is a comprehensive $500 million campaign that will infuse new funds into virtually every dimension of the university. The KSU Foundation coordinates fundraising efforts with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations to secure private support for Kansas State University.

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12/19/06 — von Waaden gift supports integrated investment management program in K-State’s College of Business Administration

Dennis and Sally von Waaden, Austin, Texas, have made a gift of $1.1 million to the Kansas State University Foundation Changing Lives Campaign to support and broaden an integrated investment management program within the College of Business Administration at K-State. The key components include a strategic startup fund and the creation of the von Waaden Chair for Investment Management and von Waaden Investment Management Scholarship. This gift follows other donations by the von Waadens during the last 20 years for other scholarships, professorships and projects.

“Dennis and Sally von Waaden’s gifts have provided the vision and ability for creating an innovative, integrated and cross-disciplinary program in investment management,” said Anand Desai, Ph.D., head of the finance department. “We will be able to design and implement a unique program in investment management that will be both regionally and nationally recognized. In addition, student-managed portfolios originally funded by Dennis and Sally will provide our students with real-world applications of classroom theory that are vital to their education. K-State is truly fortunate to have partners like Dennis and Sally who care so much about the future of this institution. For this, we are very, very grateful.”

The startup fund will be used for course development to expand the investment management program outside its traditional departmental boundaries. The scholarship will go to five undergraduate or graduate students who are selected to serve on the Investment Management Team by the faculty chair. The chair will support a faculty member in the Department of Finance who will be responsible for teaching investment management courses and overseeing the integrated investment management program. This chair will be part of the faculty of distinction program established by the Kansas Legislature in 2000 to encourage gifts by private donors to enhance the ability of state educational institutions to attract and retain faculty of distinction. The state acts as a partner, providing supplemental funding to the income earnings of each qualifying gift.

“Thanks to the generous support of Dennis and Sally von Waaden, the college is in an excellent position to launch a successful integrated investment management program. We are now in a position to recruit and retain nationally prominent scholars who will lead our students to higher echelons in investment management careers.” Dean Yar Ebadi said. “Dennis and Sally’s philanthropic endeavors throughout the years have greatly influenced the success of our college. Their investment will help us build on our distinctive qualities and capabilities. I am humbled by their support and their confidence in the vision we have cast for the college’s future.”

“Our main interests are in creating practical educational experiences for students,” Dennis von Waaden said. “We like the idea that the investment management program will be broadened to include all disciplines in the College of Business Administration, so that when students go through the program, they will come out with real-world types of practical experiences.”

Dennis von Waaden graduated from K-State in 1962 with a degree in accounting. Sally von Waaden also attended K-State. The von Waadens are both members of the KSU Foundation’s Board of Trustees and Dennis von Waaden is a member of its executive committee and investment committee.

The KSU Foundation’s Changing Lives Campaign for Kansas State University is a comprehensive $500 million campaign that will infuse new funds into virtually every dimension of the university. The KSU Foundation coordinates fundraising efforts with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations to secure private support for Kansas State University.

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12/12/06 — Family honors former professor and wife through new KSU engineering scholarship

Family and Friends of Teddy O. and Nancy Lou Hodges have made a gift of $30,000 to the Kansas State University Foundation Changing Lives Campaign to establish the Teddy O. and Nancy L. Hodges Undergraduate Engineering Scholarship.

The recipient of this scholarship will be a sophomore, junior or senior student properly enrolled in the College of Engineering at Kansas State University, who is majoring in either construction science and management, architectural engineering or mechanical engineering. First preference will be given to any active duty military or veteran of any branch of the United States armed services. Second preference will be given to a native-born Kansan.

Teddy O. Hodges was on the faculty at Kansas State University from 1959 until 1990, where he served as professor of agricultural engineering, associate dean of Engineering and director of the engineering experiment station, and professor of architectural engineering and construction science. Nancy Lou (Leslie) Hodges took courses at K-State, but did not earn a degree.

“Ted and Nancy Hodges have a special connection to the Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science at K-State,” Department Head David Fritchen said. “As a faculty member in our department, Ted was a respected educator and dedicated many years of service to K-State and our programs. This commitment by the Hodges’ family and friends to the Changing Lives Campaign is a beautiful and meaningful way to honor Ted and Nancy. We appreciate their generous support of engineering and construction undergraduate education at K-State.”

The KSU Foundation’s Changing Lives Campaign for Kansas State University is a comprehensive $500 million campaign that will infuse new funds into virtually every dimension of the university. The KSU Foundation coordinates fundraising efforts with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations to secure private support for Kansas State University.

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12/11/06 — Muir pledges $700,000 in trust donation for K-State

William L. (Bill) Muir III, Manhattan, Kan., has made a commitment of $700,000 through a bequest to the Kansas State University Foundation Changing Lives Campaign for a future campus structure. Muir has previously given more than $200,000 for a variety of scholarships and other university enhancements, including: the Rosalie J. Benton Muir Delta Delta Delta Scholarship, Lloyd Muir Memorial Music Scholarship and William L. Muir II and John T. Muir Alpha Tau Omega Blue Key Leadership Scholarship.

“ Kansas State University is a great institution of higher education and my alma mater,” Muir said. “The KSU Foundation’s Changing Lives Campaign offers individuals an opportunity to ‘give back’ to the university. As both a graduate and employee of
K-State, I am pleased to have this opportunity to help in this vital campaign and would encourage others to also consider contributing to this tremendous endeavor.”

“Bill Muir’s passion and support for K-State have been extraordinary,” said K-State President Jon Wefald. “He has devoted a great deal of time and energy to make this a better place. Bill’s new gift will become a visible part of the campus in creating a structure that will further enhance the great learning environment at Kansas State University.”

Bill Muir is the assistant vice president for community relations at K-State, where he has been employed since 1990. Prior to joining the university, he was the director of economic development at the KSU Foundation and an assistant to former Kansas Gov. John Carlin for eight years. Muir also has been involved with the United Way of Riley County, Rotary, Masons and Scottish Rite. On campus, he is a member of Union Governing Board, the Campus Planning and Development Committee, and Parking Council. Muir has been a faculty representative to Student Senate for 14 years.

A native of Norton, Kan., Muir earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at K-State in 1977. While in college, he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Muir has remained active with the fraternity and has served as its chapter adviser for more than 35 years. He is also the Alpha Tau Omega national secretary, serves on the national board of directors and is on the Alpha Tau Omega Foundation national board of governors.

Muir is a member of Presidents Club, a KSU Foundation leadership organization for friends and alumni of K-State. He is also a member of the KSU Foundation Board of Trustees.

A bequest is a gift made through a will or trust, and enables a donor to retain total control of assets during his or her lifetime and determine the distribution of assets upon his or her death. For many alumni and friends, a commitment to include K-State in a revocable will or trust is considered the most popular way to make a significant gift.

The KSU Foundation’s Changing Lives Campaign for Kansas State University is a comprehensive $500 million campaign that will infuse new funds into virtually every dimension of the university. The KSU Foundation coordinates fundraising efforts with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations to secure private support for Kansas State University.

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12/08/06 — Topekan makes scholarship gift for K-State biology

Russell Clay Harvey (M.D.), Topeka, Kan., has made a gift of $25,000 to the Kansas State University Foundation Changing Lives Campaign to establish the Division of Biology University Distinguished Professors Scholarship.

The purpose of this scholarship is to honor University Distinguished professors in the Division of Biology at K-State. This is the most prestigious designation that the university can bestow on a faculty member, and is a title that is maintained for the rest of his or her career. Of approximately 1,300 total faculty members at K-State, only about 30 hold the rank of University Distinguished Professor. The Division of Biology has six current faculty members who have been selected as University Distinguished Professors and three others who are retired or deceased. The recipient of the Division of Biology University Distinguished Professors Scholarship will be an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in a biological science.

Harvey is a native of Wichita, Kan. He is a 1974 graduate of Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in biology. While in college he was a member of the inaugural class of the Phi Beta Kappa honors society. He earned his M.D. at the University of Kansas Medical School, Kansas City, Kan., in 1978.

Harvey is a member of the Presidents Club, a KSU Foundation leadership organization for friends and alumni of
K-State. He is also a member of the KSU Foundation Board of Trustees.

“This scholarship is my attempt to honor and recognize the individuals, department (now division), and university that has provided so much to me,” Harvey said. “My education at KSU has provided a solid basis for me to experience a lifelong joy obtained from the process of learning and from insight arising out of knowledge.”

“Dr. Harvey is an exceptionally gracious and generous alumnus of Kansas State University and the Division of Biology,” said Brian Spooner, University Distinguished Professor and director of the Division of Biology. “The University Distinguished Professors of the division are collectively honored by his creation of this scholarship, which will provide recognition and help for numbers of undergraduate and graduate students into the future as they pursue their educational dreams.”

The KSU Foundation’s Changing Lives Campaign for Kansas State University is a comprehensive $500 million campaign that will infuse new funds into virtually every dimension of the university. The KSU Foundation coordinates fundraising efforts with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations to secure private support for Kansas State University.

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12/07/06 — KSU psychology professor establishes scholarship

Ronald (Ron) Downey, Manhattan, Kan., and his family have made a legacy gift commitment of $500,000 through a bequest to the Kansas State University Foundation Changing Lives Campaign to establish the Downey Family Scholarship Fund. Ron and his wife Irene Ward (associate professor of English), his daughter Cheryl Downey, his son Glen Downey are all highly committed to higher education. Dorothy Downey, Ron’s deceased wife, was a long-time employee at the KSU Foundation and was equally committed to
K-State. Cheryl and Glen are K-State graduates.

The purpose of this fund is to provide financial assistance to students in any curriculum at Kansas State University. Preference will be given to a minority student with further emphasis on need. The recipient will be eligible to receive this scholarship for up to four years.

Ron Downey was born in Kansas City, Kan., and has lived in many places in the United States. He came to K-State in 1975 and had a joint appointment in administration and the psychology department. After serving 10 years as an associate provost, Downey is now a professor in the psychology department at K-State. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas, Austin, in 1966, and a master's in psychology and a doctorate in quantitative psychology, from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1971. Downey worked for four years as a research psychologist for the Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences before coming to K-State.

Downey is a member of Presidents Club, a KSU Foundation leadership organization for friends and alumni of K-State.

“As an older student, married and with children, I understood the value of a college degree. I had to work full-time to put myself through college,” Downey said. “My family hopes this fund will provide future students an opportunity to complete their degree without the additional burden associated with excessive work commitments and/or large loans. We also hope that the scholarship recipients, when they graduate, will feel an equal commitment to helping others achieve all that they can and should be.”

“Ron Downey is the kind of faculty member that President Wefald and others have always bragged about,” said Pat Bosco, associate vice president for institutional advancement and dean of student life. “He is a nationally respected scholar, organizational consultant and excellent classroom teacher. For him to decide to make this kind of impact in the very area we need the most support is a direct result of his care and leadership as a K-State administrator and faculty member.”

A bequest is a gift made through a will or trust, and enables a donor to retain total control of assets during his lifetime and determine the distribution of assets upon his death. For many K-State alumni and friends, a commitment to include K-State in a revocable will or trust is considered the most popular way to make a significant gift.

The KSU Foundation’s Changing Lives Campaign for K-State is a comprehensive $500 million campaign that will infuse new funds into virtually every dimension of the university. The KSU Foundation coordinates fundraising efforts with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations to secure private support for Kansas State University.

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12/01/06 — Former high school teacher remembers sister through scholarship at K-State

Alice Show, Quincy, Ill., has made a gift of $25,000 to the Kansas State University Foundation Changing Lives Campaign to establish the Maude C. Meyer Scholarship.

The purpose of the scholarship is to honor Show’s sister, Maude Meyer, a former teacher who died in April 2005 just before her 103 rd birthday. The recipient of this scholarship will be an undergraduate student enrolled in elementary education in the College of Education at Kansas State University. First preference will be given to a graduate of Washington ( Kan.) High School. Second preference will be given to a student from Washington County.

Show is a native of Washington, Kan. She took nine hours of credit at K-State in the mid-1920s to earn her teacher certification. Show is a member of Presidents Club, a KSU Foundation leadership organization for friends and alumni of K-State.

“Maude dearly loved children,” said Robert Meyer, Maude Meyer’s step-son. “She did not have any of her own, but treated her step-children and grandchildren as if they were her own. Her love for young folks will be carried forward by this scholarship.”

“Alice Show’s thoughtfulness and generosity provide both support and inspiration to a new generation of talented individuals preparing to teach our children,” said Michael Holen, dean of the College of Education. “Contributing to honor Maude Meyer, another teacher, demonstrates one of the many ways teachers live on in the achievements and the memories of others.”

The KSU Foundation’s Changing Lives Campaign for Kansas State University is a comprehensive $500 million campaign that will infuse new funds into virtually every dimension of the university. The KSU Foundation coordinates fundraising efforts with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations to secure private support for Kansas State University.

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12/01/06 — Former KSU track star plans scholarship gift to K-State engineering and track program

Justus O’Reilly, El Dorado, Kan., has made a gift of $10,000 along with a commitment of $25,000 through a charitable gift annuity to the Kansas State University Foundation Changing Lives Campaign to establish the Justus O’Reilly Family Engineering Scholarship.

The recipient of this scholarship will be an undergraduate student enrolled in the College of Engineering at Kansas State University with preference given to a current member of the Kansas State University track team.

O’Reilly is a native of Girard, Kan. He graduated from Kansas State University in 1935 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. While in college, he was a captain and member of the varsity track team and Sigma Tau–Tau Beta Pi engineering honors society.

“Justus O’Reilly achieved success in both his athletic and academic pursuits at Kansas State,” said Richard Gallagher, interim dean of the College of Engineering. “We truly appreciate that he has now chosen to help others toward those same endeavors through the gift of this generous scholarship.”

“We very much appreciate the loyal and generous support provided to Kansas State University by our alumni,” KSU Track Coach Cliff Rovelto said. “Our athletic department and university benefit by this generosity through a reduced burden on our general scholarship fund.”

A charitable gift annuity is an agreement between a donor and the KSU Foundation. It enables an individual to transfer a gift of cash or appreciated assets, in exchange for a current income tax deduction and the foundation agrees to pay a fixed sum each year for life to one or two people. Annuity payments can begin immediately or can be deferred to some future date. When the annuity ends, remaining assets are used for the purpose designated by the donor.nb

The KSU Foundation’s Changing Lives Campaign for Kansas State University is a comprehensive $500 million campaign that will infuse new funds into virtually every dimension of the university. The KSU Foundation coordinates fundraising efforts with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations to secure private support for Kansas State University.

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