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| Generous alumnus supports Morris D. Hayes fund
UW-Eau Claire alumnus Michael Schulze, a member of The Singing Statesmen from 1981 through 1984, has not forgotten the group’s creed: “Once a Statesman, always a Statesman.” Schulze’s involvement with the nationally renowned male chorus and his respect for the group’s founder and first conductor, UW-Eau Claire music professor emeritus Morris Hayes, have led the alumnus to make a planned gift to the UW-Eau Claire Fulfilling the Promise of Excellence campaign that will significantly benefit the Morris D. Hayes Scholarship Fund. “My experience with the Statesmen helped make my UW-Eau Claire experience complete,” said Schulze, who graduated in 1984 with a business administration degree. “The academics were great, but the music program really rounded out my experience.” After graduation, Schulze wanted to give back to the program. “When Morrie retired (in 1987) and created the fund, it was a natural place for me to contribute,” he said. So Schulze contributed — first in 1987, then almost every year since, and now through his planned gift. His contributions, along with those of many alumni and friends of UW-Eau Claire’s choral music program, have helped grow and sustain the endowed scholarship fund Hayes established. The fund pays for annual scholarships to students involved in choral music at UW-Eau Claire. Beginning with the 2002-03 academic year, the scholarships will be awarded in alternate years to either a non-music major who sings in The Singing Statesmen or a music major who sings in the Concert Choir. Schulze last visited Hayes in the fall of 2000 in Carlsbad, Calif., where the former conductor now lives. The two stay in touch via e-mail and keep up a yearly Christmas card exchange. “Morris was a teacher, coach and friend,” said Schulze, who is director of sales for SAP America and resides with his family in Pewaukee. “He made his Statesmen a special breed within the music department, the university and the state.” What Schulze found most remarkable about his experience with the Statesmen was that more than half the group’s members were non-music majors. “We won big-time music awards with a bunch of business, education and math majors, and no other music group on campus — or elsewhere that I know of — can say that,” Schulze said. “It was, and is, a truly unique group, and that was what Uncle Morrie, ‘the Master,’ had planned.” Additional contributions to the Morris D. Hayes Scholarship fund are welcome. Those interested can call the Foundation at (715) 836-5630 or complete the online donation form.
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