|
| Seven-figure gifts make huge impact In addition to the $6 million it will receive from the estate of Lt. Col. George L. Simpson Jr., the UW-Eau Claire Foundation has received seven other gifts of $1 million or more, six since the start of the Fulfilling the Promise of Excellence campaign in July 2000 and one in mid-1995: November 2003 — The university was notified that an anonymous alumni couple has named the UW-Eau Claire Foundation as the sole beneficiary of their $1 million estate, designating that the gift be used to create an endowed scholarship fund for high-achieving UW-Eau Claire education students. Full story. June 2003 — The Foundation received notification of a $1 million bequest from an anonymous alumnus. The gift, when received upon the donor’s death, will become a part of UW-Eau Claire’s Excellence Fund endowment to help the university meet its highest priority needs. Full story. November 2002 — James and Anne Ramsey, Longwood, Fla., made a $1.5 million planned gift to endow a UW-Eau Claire faculty position in the sciences. The gift will establish the Oliver Marion Ramsey Science Chair in memory of James Ramsey’s brother, a 1933 UW-Eau Claire alumnus who later graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served as a lieutenant in the Navy during World War II. He was killed in the Battle of Guadalcanal on Nov. 13, 1942. Full story. April 2001 — David and Marilyn Karlgaard, Fairfax, Va., made a gift of $4.5 million that includes a $4 million trust, which ultimately will endow the programs the Karlgaards are funding outright through a $500,000 pledge. The computer science department is the beneficiary with the creation of the Karlgaard Excellence in Computer Science Program. The Karlgaards’ gift supports scholarships for computer science majors, excellence awards for computer science faculty, and matching funds for the acquisition of equipment or software. David and Marilyn Karlgaard are the national co-chairs of Fulfilling the Promise of Excellence. Full story. April 2001 — Dr. David J. Johnson, Bruce, UW-Eau Claire professor emeritus of social work, committed through his estate a seven-figure gift to endow a faculty position in the department of social work. It will be the first endowed chair in the School of Human Sciences and Services and is the largest single commitment in the history of the social work department. Johnson retired from UW-Eau Claire in 1988. Full story. November 2000 — Jan and Kathryn Ver Hagen, St. Louis, made a planned gift of more than $1 million in stock to the Foundation. The gift ultimately will fund the Jan K. and Kathryn Fults Ver Hagen Chair of Education. The Ver Hagens are national vice chairs of the UW-Eau Claire Foundation’s ongoing comprehensive fund-raising campaign, Fulfilling the Promise of Excellence. Full story. June 1995 — Although not a part of the university’s current campaign, the $1.5 million provided by Dennis and Carol Heyde, Chippewa Falls, for the Entrepreneur Program of UW-Eau Claire’s College of Business had the effect of raising the bar for the university’s future fund-raising success. The Heydes’ gift created an endowed fund to support the Dennis L. Heyde Chair of Entrepreneurship, a faculty position that includes the directorship of the Entrepreneur Program. The fund also supports student scholarships, curriculum development and other initiatives for the Entrepreneur Program.
|
