February 1, 2007
Faculty-Staff-Retiree Campaign for Students inspires philanthropy
For faculty and alumni of the Evans School, philanthropy “is in their soul.”
This is how Dean Sandra Archibald explains the extraordinary level of participation in the Faculty-Staff-Retiree Campaign for Students. “People in public affairs have a commitment to the public good. They didn’t choose their careers because they wanted to amass great private wealth.
“In addition, our school has a strong sense of community, something that’s been nurtured over the past 45 years, beginning with Dean Emeritus Brewster Denny. It’s a conscious part of what I do. I know there’s a strong sense of ownership in the school by our faculty and staff, and our alumni continue to be involved in the school in many ways.”
Dean Archibald and her husband made the first gift to the school when the campaign began, a donation for an endowed fellowship program. This was followed in short order with donations from most of the senior faculty.
One major incentive of the Faculty-Staff-Retiree Campaign is that scholarship or fellowship donations of between $5,000 and $10,000 will be matched, dollar for dollar, by the University.
“My wife and I agreed to do this at the time the UW set up the matching fund,” says Professor Bill Zumeta. “I’ve spent over 20 years here and the Evans School means a lot to me. I think fellowships are its greatest financial need. I have lots of experience here that tells me fellowship support is the key to making the Evans School more attractive to a national student body and to our new Ph.D. students. It is also crucial to attracting students of color, which is a high priority of mine and the school’s.”
Dean Emeritus Margo Gordon and her husband, Professor Andrew Gordon, created a fellowship for women and minority students. She recalls, “When I was dean, our most difficult challenge was having sufficient funds for fellowships to attract students away from other places where they could get so much more. We had almost nothing, especially after the demise of the Ford Foundation-sponsored fellowship program and the summer institute that attracted minority students to our field. So, when the University made the matching program available, it seemed useful to try to establish a fellowship for women and minorities.”
The Evans School also boasts several “grass roots” endowments, most notably two endowments created to honor a husband and wife. Associate Professor Jon Brock admittedly is a demanding teacher, so he was surprised (and delighted) by a largely student-led effort that created an endowed fellowship in his name. “When I started teaching,” Brock says, “I thought about the professors who made an impression on me, and they were those that demanded the most, so I tried to find a way to set a high standard. This endowment provides some comfort that this approach has made a useful difference.
Brock was presented with a book of comments by friends and former students at a celebratory event. Typical of those honoring Brock was the following: “This fabulous honor being bestowed on you is well-deserved. You should take a great deal of pride in how you have advanced the causes of hundreds of governmental agencies and nonprofits locally, nationally and internationally through your thoughtful preparation of students.”
Brock’s wife, Elaine Chang, has an endowment created by colleagues, students and friends, honoring her contributions to the school, where she served for 11 years as assistant dean, as program director of the Hubert H. Humphrey Program, and as acting director of the Lindenberg Center. The Chang endowed fellowship is the first staff endowed fellowship at the Evans School. To date, more than 60 individuals have contributed to this fund.
“Throughout her life, Elaine has understood that working together, we can get more done,” said Ian Moncaster, President and CEO of the World Affairs Council and one of the organizers of fundraising for the endowment. “Elaine has lived her life in a way which has been a role model of engagement and building community. The endowment allows Elaine’s legacy of giving back and facilitating opportunities for others to continue.
“This particular fellowship enshrines the best of education. Global citizenship requires an understanding and familiarity of other perspectives. This fellowship provides students an opportunity to work collaboratively in a global community, apply their coursework to a real world need, and make a contribution.”
The fellowship is intended to support students working in internships focused on international development and peace issues. The first recipient of the fellowship, Sophie Namy, worked as an intern for UNICEF in India, studying how UNICEF’s planning strategies may combat local issues of social exclusion.
Faculty, staff and retirees have created five additional fellowships in the name of Dean Emeritus Brewster Denny, Professor Morton Kroll (now deceased), Theodore Plotnick (father of Professor Robert Plotnick), Dr. Constance W. and Norman B. Rice, and Professor Richard Zerbe.
“The philanthropy exhibited by the people of the Evans School is inspiring,” says Kim Johnson-Bogart, director of strategic initiatives for the Office of Development and Alumni Relations. “Years down the road, student support in that school will be populated by the stories and values of the people who comprise that school today. “That’s a growing legacy that will deepen students’ appreciation for their own role in the higher purposes of education for generations to come.”
There are 331 endowments that have been created as part of the Faculty-Staff-Retiree Campaign. More information about the campaign is at http://uwfoundation.org/home/staff_stu_camp.asp.
