Field, Dow, Gerstacker, Wickes Gifts Lead $23 Million SVSU Fund Drive

Five Year Fundraising Campaign Exceeds Goal by 13 Percent

June 27, 2010
By: Dave Rogers

Enhanced opportunities for students, faculty and regional professionals will result from the recently completed Saginaw Valley State University Foundation fund drive.

The "Promise for Tomorrow" fundraising campaign collected more than $23 million, exceeding the goal of $20 million set when the campaign began in 2005.

"We are very fortunate to have so many good friends who supported this campaign, especially during a time of economic hardship for so many," said Andy Bethune, executive director of the SVSU Foundation. "Their gifts are an investment and a vote of confidence in the future of this region, and we appreciate their commitment." The campaign attracted several major endowments, such as:

$3 million from Dr. E. Malcolm Field to create two new endowed chair positions: the Clifford Spicer Chair in Engineering, currently occupied by Alan Freed, who specializes in health and medical devices; and the Malcolm and Lois Field Chair in Health Science, soon to be occupied by Jeffrey Smith, who specializes in the study of brain injuries and the central nervous system. Both teach in the classroom and provide extraordinary research opportunities for students.

$2 million from the Herbert H. And Grace A. Dow Foundation to establish an Entrepreneurship Institute and endow an entrepreneur-in-residence position, currently occupied by Ken Kousky.

$1.5 million from the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation to establish the Gerstacker Fellowship, which provides leadership training to select K-12 educators.

$1.5 million from the Harvey Randall Wickes Foundation to establish the Braun Fellowship, a unique partnership where the Saginaw Community Foundation administers funds to recognize the exceptional accomplishments and potential of select SVSU faculty and staff. It is named in honor of Ruth and Ted Braun of Saginaw.

The Great Lakes Bay Region is benefiting from the Entrepreneurship Institute, which has contributed to increased collaboration among a variety of business entities, in addition to enhancing opportunities for SVSU students.

The Gerstacker Fellowship has served educators from Alpena to Auburn Hills, but the primary concentration have hailed from the region, and they credit their experiences with improved performance as school leaders, benefiting students in their respective districts.

At SVSU and throughout Michigan, assisting deserving students has never been more necessary. More than 50 new scholarships also were created through the campaign. In all, nearly $3 million in scholarship support was raised, much of it to help students with demonstrated financial need. "In these times when SVSU is serving more students than ever -- while state support continues to decline -- it is critical for us to provide increased scholarship opportunities to make college affordable," Bethune said.

The $23 million "Promise for Tomorrow" campaign is the largest in SVSU's history. The "Campaign for Distinction" raised more than $13 million from 1997-99, and the "Creating the Future" campaign from 2000-02 exceeded $9.5 million.

Meanwhile, Students at the Saginaw Career Complex have the opportunity to earn college credit at SVSU through a new articulation agreement developed by both schools. It marks the first time SVSU has entered into such an agreement with a high school.

The arrangement is an outgrowth of an $855,000 grant SVSU received in 2009 from The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its Learning and Enrichment to Advance Diversity of Registered Nurses program.

Through 2012, up to 30 SVSU students (15 nursing and 15 pre-nursing) and 15 Saginaw Public Schools students will receive support each year to participate in mentoring, enrichment, and educational activities.

The articulation agreement was developed over the past year by faculty and staff from SVSU and SCC, based on a review of SCC courses that have content similar to some pre-professional courses offered at SVSU. It allows grant participants with a record of successful completion of selected nursing and health careers courses at SCC to enroll at SVSU with up to 4 hours of college credit.

###