  Anyone Can Be a Philanthrophist By Terry Mayes
What comes to mind when you think of the word "philanthropy"? Do you think of the contributions of John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, and the magnificent gifts they have made? If so, you may want to reconsider. While large gifts make a major impact on the college, there are many more individuals who make a difference through more modest levels of giving. We value gifts of all sizes that can help us reach our fund-raising goals. The Kresge Foundation Challenge Grant of $600,000 was only possible because of the many smaller gifts that college supporters contributed to the construction of the Discovery Learning Center. Gifts from several hundred donors, ranging upwards from $8 and totaling over $1.6 million, enabled us to surpass our goal of $1.3 million and meet the Kresge Challenge. The Discovery Learning Center is a 45,000 square foot building now under construction adjacent to the Engineering Center and the Integrated Teaching and Learning Laboratory. Expected to be complete by fall 2001, the facility will provide a technology-rich research and learning environment that is re-configurable to accommodate new research programs and changing needs. Sometimes parents choose to contribute to the college as a way of expressing their thanks for the stewardship of their children's education. Recently, Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Susan Gage made a gift to the college in appreciation of the education their daughter, Regan, received. Regan graduated last May with a degree in architectural engineering. In his letter, Dr. Gage wrote, "I enclose a check for $10,000; it seems like a small amount when we consider the advantages that Regan's engineering education will confer to her." Dr. Gage specifically singled out the architectural engineering faculty, who "introduced Regan to their fraternity' and prepared her for the demands of her upcoming job in San Francisco." He praised one of Regan's instructors, David DiLaura, for being a role model for his daughter and asked that his gift be used to recruit and reward outstanding faculty members. This is but one example, as many other students and parents also have given back to the college in appreciation of our exceptional faculty. Another faculty fund was established when several alumni contributed to the David E. Clough Computer and Instrumentation Fund in honor of their chemical engineering professor. Many of these alumni said Professor Clough gave them the encouragement and education necessary to pursue a successful career in engineering. One of Dr. Clough's former students, Jim Hill, agreed to match the gifts made by several other appreciative alumni. The proceeds from this endowment will provide computers, software, and instrumentation for chemical engineering courses and the chemical engineering laboratory, and will provide equipment and training for chemical engineering faculty and staff with modern computational and software tools. The experience of a loss can also focus our philanthropic intentions. Recently, all nine of Don and Rosemary Galloway's children honored the life-long achievements of their late parents by endowing a scholarship in the College of Engineering in their name. Don and Rosemary, both Colorado natives, were wholly dedicated to the benefits of higher education, and many of their family members received degrees from CU-Boulder. Now, the Galloways will "live on forever" in the future of the college as a student is selected each year to receive the Don and Rosemary Galloway Memorial Scholarship. Norman and Maritza Abbott chose to honor their son, Bill's memory by establishing a scholarship in his name. Bill Abbott was a student in the College of Engineering several years ago and enjoyed his years at CU enormously. Paul and Joyce Whitaker also have remembered their son through the establishment of the Thomas Whitaker Memorial Scholarship Fund. Thomas earned his B.S. in electrical engineering in 1974 and was actively engaged in the electrical engineering profession until his death. Stories such as these remind us that giving is within the reach of all of us. The minimum contribution level for an endowment is $25,000, a sum that can be easily reached and surpassed through the contributions of family members and friends. Whether you choose to use your gift as a way of saying thanks for the education you or your child received, or to honor a favorite professor or a loved one, your gift can make a difference in the lives of students and faculty. Considering that twice as much of the college's support comes from our donors as from the State of Colorado (18 percent vs. 9 percent), it is apparent how important gifts of any size can be. Thank you for your prior support and please contact any one of us if we might help you make a gift to the college that holds special meaning for you. Paul Bauman: (303) 492-7190 Kristin Germain: (303) 492-1146 Terry Mayes: (303) 492-0142
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