“This gift represents the class’s commitment not only to the ongoing budget of the college, but to King Chapel and its importance to our class,” said class gift chair and long-time college trustee Jerry Ringer.

“I was more than willing to lead this effort knowing that my class would come through,” added Ringer, a Mount Vernon native.

The bulk of the gift will help fund the planned renovation of the exterior of King Chapel, the 127-year-old centerpiece of Cornell’s historic campus. The renovation of the chapel will include the shoring up of the walls, replacement of the roof, repairs to the clock and clock tower, and the addition of an elevator. The remaining portion of the Class of 1959 reunion gift will go toward the annual fund to directly support the student experience.

“King Chapel is the very heart of our campus. It has served as a gathering place for students, faculty, and community members for over 125 years, and has played host to historic speeches ranging from Martin Luther King Jr. and Frank Lloyd Wright and memorable performances by the likes of the Chicago Symphony and others,” said Peter Wilch, vice president for alumni and college advancement. “The Class of 1959 gift will help to ensure that students for generations to come will have the same experiences, and we are grateful for their tremendous generosity during an important milestone in their lives.”

The Class of 1959 gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit www.cornellcollege.edu/campaign or contact Peter Wilch, Vice President for Alumni and College Advancement at 319-895-4315 or pwilch@cornellcollege.edu.

Stoll and her husband William have donated $200,000 to Cornell in support of the Pre-Law Program she helped create and to help fund The Commons renovation project.

“I believe completely that I would not be the person I am and have had the success that I have if not for my experiences at Cornell College,” said Stoll, an attorney for Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease LLC in Columbus, Ohio.

The bulk of the gift will go toward renovations of the campus’ central hub, The Commons. Renovations to The Commons will increase the building size by 28 percent to accommodate enrollment growth and modern student life activities. The plans call for sweeping changes to the building’s upper-level entryway, along with a two-story addition on the back. The Orange Carpet, Cornell’s popular epicenter, will remain the focus of The Commons.

Stoll, a Waterloo native, was the first in her family to graduate from college and found herself right at home at Cornell. She had an early interest in law, but went into elementary education upon graduation. While she loved teaching, she decided she wanted more, and went on to earn a law degree from the University of Iowa. Still, she credits Cornell and the many people who touched her life there with giving her the confidence to challenge herself to reach beyond what she might have otherwise achieved.

Renderings of The Commons project from the north (left) and south (right). Click either photo to view a larger image.

“I think that opening one’s mind to infinite possibilities is what liberal arts is all about,” said Stoll. “I didn’t understand that for several years, even after graduating. It takes some time to look back and really appreciate your liberal arts education.”

Stoll’s gift will also fund, in part, the current Pre-Law Program she helped launch in 2005. The Cornell College Pre-Law Program guides and prepares students in all major fields for successful admission to law school and careers in the legal profession.  The program also supports Cornell’s Mock Trial team, which, in only its third year, qualified for the American Mock Trial Association National Championship Tournament this past spring.

“The Pre-Law Program would not be what it is today without Sheryl’s initiative, leadership and guidance,” said President Les Garner.  “This gift exemplifies Sheryl and Bill’s commitment to the college.  We are fortunate to have their support.”

The Stolls’ gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign or contact Peter Wilch, Vice President for Alumni and College Advancement at 319-895-4315 or pwilch@cornellcollege.edu.

The funds will be used to enhance integration of existing courses, develop field courses in Latin America, help introduce new courses, and to create a capstone course for environmental studies majors. In the past year environmental studies has received nearly $1 million in gifts and grants from donors such as the Cornell College Class of 1958 and the Margaret A. Cargill foundation.

“Environmental Studies emphasizes the links between fields of study.  Geologists, biologists, and chemists need to understand how intertwined political and economic forces are with science, just as policy makers need to appreciate the complexities of the systems on which environmental policy is built,” said geology professor Rhawn Denniston. “This generous grant from the Mellon Foundation will go a long way toward advancing our ability to help our majors make these connections.”

Environmental studies is a rapidly-growing interdisciplinary program founded at Cornell by geology professor and alumnus Herb Hendriks. The program was one of the first in the nation when it was formed in 1975. Environmental studies stresses sustainability across multiple disciplines-from politics to geology to English to biology.

“Environmental studies at Cornell is a program with extraordinary potential. It typifies what a liberal arts education should look like,” said Cornell College President Les Garner. “We are grateful for the generosity of the Mellon Foundation and for the Foundation’s recognition of the excellence of Cornell’s environmental studies program.”

The Mellon Foundation grant is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign or contact Peter Wilch, Vice President for Alumni and College Advancement at 319-895-4315 or pwilch@cornellcollege.edu.

Hughes has been a longtime supporter of Cornell, giving steadily for years. He said he had always planned to give back to Cornell in a big way.

“Cornell’s always had a special meaning to me for what it gave me and for my start on my life after school,” said Hughes. “I gave so that others can enjoy the same experience that I enjoyed.”

Hughes, a former basketball player under Paul Maaske, added that he felt it was important to give now, when the needs of the college were the greatest.

“We really cannot thank Jim enough for his generosity. He’s always been a strong supporter of Cornell and of the Rams,” said Director of Athletics John Cochrane, who added that Hughes’ gift is responsible for the recent aesthetic enhancements to the downstairs arena and to the Main Gym in the Sport Center.

Hughes, who grew up on a farm near Iowa City, retired recently from Equitable Life Insurance Society of the United States, where he spent his entire career after being recruited on Cornell’s campus.

Hughes’ gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign or contact Peter Wilch, Vice President for Alumni and College Advancement at 319-895-4315 or pwilch@cornellcollege.edu.

The gift will provide funding for Cornell’s environmental studies program.

“This is an exceptional gift from an exceptional foundation,” said Peter Wilch, vice president for alumni and college advancement at Cornell. “The Cargill foundation’s generosity will allow us to expand a distinctive environmental studies program to a level envisioned by its founder, Herb Hendriks.”

Margaret A. Cargill was the granddaughter of William Cargill, who co-founded Cargill Inc., one of the world’s largest agribusiness companies. Cargill donated much of her wealth to charity, and provided that, upon her death, the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation would support causes dear to her, including environmental studies.

The Margaret A. Cargill Foundation gift comes during Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign or contact Peter Wilch at 319-895-4315 or pwilch@cornellcollege.edu.

The donor wished the gift to remain anonymous, but encourages other alumni and friends to step forward during this crucial juncture in the college’s history. As an unrestricted gift, the $100,000 will be utilized for the greatest needs of the college.

“Given the effect the nation’s economy has had on so many friends and alumni of the Hilltop the significance of this gift cannot be stated enough,” said Peter Wilch, vice president for alumni and college advancement. “This is a very generous response to the current crisis and will help to ensure that Cornell will continue to offer our students an exceptional education.”

This gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign or contact Peter Wilch, Vice President for Alumni and College Advancement at 319-895-4315 or pwilch@cornellcollege.edu.

The Durhams are both Cornell graduates of the late 1970s, just over 10 years after The Commons opened. Now, 30 years later, the couple saw a need to upgrade the center that not only serves as a student hang out and dining hall, but as a gathering place for events, visitors, and education.

“In visiting potential colleges with our youngest son, we realized the unique role that a student center plays in the life of a college. The student center serves as the ‘front-door’ of a college,” said Durham. “While The Commons continues to serve Cornell in this role, we are pleased that our contribution will enable Cornell to restore and renew The Commons.”

Tom Durham has been a Chicago-area lawyer for almost 29 years, and is a partner at Mayer Brown LLP. His wife Martha was ordained a Deacon in 2008 and serves St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Park Ridge, Ill.

“We are truly thankful to have friends like Tom and Martha Durham,” said Cornell President Les Garner. “Their generous gift will help us strengthen The Commons’ role as a campus and community center.”

The Durham’s gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign or contact Peter Wilch, Vice President for Alumni and College Advancement at 319-895-4315 or pwilch@cornellcollege.edu.

Pfeiffer.

While not new in the truest sense of the word, there’s very little about Pfeiffer that’s old. New rooms, new stairs, a new lounge, improved temperature control, an elevator, new laundry facilities and lounges, and even a high-tech classroom and a meeting room. The building even smells new.

Lounges now come furnished with a fridge, stove, oven, and microwave, as well as storage space for dish ware. The electrical and heating/cooling systems have been completely revamped and modernized. Bathrooms have been improved, and a new RA box is in place.

But the charm of old Pfeiffer remains. The floorplan is relatively unchanged (including the spooky staircase to the “4th” floor) and the fireplace, the centerpiece of Pfeiffer Lounge, remains. Only now a flat screen television hangs over it.

Located at the center of the “tri-hall area” and overlooking the Cedar River Valley, Pfeiffer is home to approximately 160 men and women living in a variety of room configurations, including coed floors where rooms alternate men and women. Pfeiffer Hall is extremely social and houses a diverse group of students.

Pfeiffer residents take great pride in their building and in the comfortable community atmosphere that exists here. The different shapes and sizes of Pfeiffer rooms make it easy to individualize your space. The lounge is the most spacious on campus and is host to regular meetings of various student groups.

Pfeiffer was originally built in 1930 and expanded in 1971. It was a women’s residence hall until 1978, when it became coed.

Construction on Pfeiffer Hall was completed a month past schedule due to delays caused by harsh winter conditions. Students eligible to live in Pfeiffer had been living in Rood House and other locations around campus during the first semester.

To view a photo gallery of “new” Pfeiffer, click here.

The McGranes both graduated from Cornell in 1973. John is a partner with the law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Washington, D.C., where he specializes in energy law. John has been a member of the Cornell College Board of Trustees for seven years and is vice chair of the business affairs committee. Marty was a member of the Cornell College Alumni Board for five years in the 1990s. More recently she was a member of the Campaign Committee that helped plan Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell.

“We are very happy to be able to contribute to Cornell, and particularly to these worthwhile efforts,” said John McGrane. “Les and Katrina Garner have graciously opened the President’s House to students, faculty, and alumni and have made it a focal point of the Cornell community. The house needs renovation and expansion to continue the Garners’ efforts. Cornell must also grow if it is to thrive, and the acquisition of property adjacent to the campus will assist Cornell in meeting future needs.”

The McGranes’ gift will fund $250,000 worth of improvements and renovations to the Cornell College President’s House. The remainder is directed to the Extraordinary Opportunities Campaign, the prelaw program, and the purchase of property adjacent to the Cornell campus.

“John and Marty McGrane have been generous with both their time and resources in support of Cornell,” said Cornell College President Les Garner. “This latest gift is an example of that generosity. We are grateful for their longstanding service and commitment to Cornell.”

The McGranes’ gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign or contact Peter Wilch, Vice President for Alumni and College Advancement at 319-895-4315 or pwilch@cornellcollege.edu.

The gift honors long-time geology professor Herb Hendriks, who started one of the first environmental studies programs in the country at Cornell in 1975. The gift is being coordinated by lead donors Gib Drendel and John Mark Dean.

“There is a very great need for people who are informed about all aspects of the environment—political, social, economic, and environmental—and that’s why we set up this program,” said Hendriks. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the Class of 1958 gift. That gift is going to go a long, long way toward ensuring the program continues.”

“We need to ensure that, in the future, there will be people to look at the problem from all angles. Our environmental problems won’t go away, they’ll only increase, so it’s essential to keep student research and this program strong,” he added.

The bulk of the gift will endow the Cornell College Environmental Studies Program, a course of study that stresses sustainability across multiple disciplines—from politics to chemistry to geology and sociology. The other portion will fund a scholarship open to any junior or senior engaged in environmental studies, regardless of major.

Herb Hendriks, himself a 1940 graduate of Cornell, taught geology at Cornell from 1947 to 1983. He became interested in the sustainability of natural resources as early as the 1940s, and was finally able to offer that course in the 1960s. In 1975, he founded and directed the Cornell College Environmental Studies program—one of the first in the country and the first in the Associated Colleges of the Midwest. He currently lives in the Methwick Community in Cedar Rapids

“It is extremely important that we have students who can examine environmental issues carefully and look at them from different angles, perhaps even more important than when Herb founded the program in 1975,” said Cornell College President Les Garner. “The Class of 1958 gift is an enduring way for Cornell to strengthen an already distinct program.”

The Class of 1958 gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit www.cornellcollege.edu/campaign or contact Peter Wilch, Vice President for Alumni and College Advancement at 319-895-4315 or pwilch@cornellcollege.edu.

Lee and Dorothy Whitson, whose son Frank Whitson graduated from Cornell in 1970, established the Frank N. Whitson Memorial Scholarship Fund after the death of their only child in 1974.

“Lee and Dorothy Whitson appreciated their college educations and believed in the value of education at all levels,” said Dianne Polasik, who was engaged to Frank at the time of his death and considered the Whitsons a second family. “Their gift to Cornell is in memory of a much loved son who valued his Cornell College experience and fulfills their desire that others will have the same opportunity.”

Frank Whitson graduated from Cornell with a degree in economics and went on to attend graduate school at the University of Iowa in hospital administration. His father, Lee, was involved in Boy Scouts and owned WR Medical Electronics Co., a medical device manufacturer in St. Paul, Minn., until his death in 2002.

Frank’s mother, Dorothy, was an executive officer for the Camp Fire Girls in New York and Minnesota and worked for the American Red Cross overseas during World War II. She continued her volunteerism throughout her life. She died on Aug. 13, 2008.

The gift will supplement the scholarship fund established in 1974, which has provided thousands of dollars in scholarships to worthy students with need. The estate gift will allow Cornell to provide even more extraordinary scholarships to students.

“We were saddened to hear of the passing of Dorothy Whitson, who has been a friend of the college ever since her son Frank came to the Hilltop,” said Cornell College President Les Garner. “This extraordinary gift honors not only Frank, but Dorothy and Lee as well. Generations of Cornellians will receive their education thanks to the generosity of the entire Whitson family.”

The Whitson’s gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign.

Jordan is an honorary alumnus of Cornell who began his career at Cornell in 1966. He was granted emeritus status in 2002 and has remained active on campus.

The bulk of the gift will fund the chaplain endowment, with the remaining $10,000 used to supplement the annual fund and purchase wireless headphones for the hearing impaired for King Chapel, the primary venue for campus speakers and performances. The idea for wireless headphones came from local videographer Dean Traver, who let Jordan borrow a pair during a recent performance.

“I finally figured out the solution to my problem was to donate headphones to Cornell so that I and others with a similar problem would be able to take advantage of the wonderful public presentations Cornell offers to the community,” said Jordan.

Jordan added that the support for the chaplain fund was a way to honor his father and mother.

“Neither of my parents had the opportunity to be college students, but if they had, I am sure they would have found the chaplain’s work to be important to them,” said Jordan. “This gift provides the perfect way for me to honor them in a manner that I know is meaningful to them.”

Jordan said that, during his over 40 years at Cornell, the Chaplain’s office, first through The Rev. Dr. Richard H. Thomas and now The Rev. Quehl-Engel, has always been a strong source of leadership in the community.

“We cannot thank Truman and Linda enough for their dedication to Cornell,” said Vice President for Alumni and College Advancement Peter Wilch. “It is humbling to think of all the wonderful things the Jordans have done on campus and as part of the community over the past 42 years, and after these many contributions they have chosen to give a generous gift to Cornell at a crucial time. The college is fortunate to have friends like the Jordans.”

The Jordans’ gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign.

The Presidential Fellows program seeks to bring leading scholars to campus to teach a course that enriches the curriculum. Because of the One-Course-At-A-Time calendar, scholars can teach an entire course in 3 1/2 weeks.

Wallace has been produced internationally and has been awarded the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the Fellowship of Southern Writers Drama Award, the Kesselring Prize, the Mobil Prize, an NEA grant, a Kentucky Arts Council Grant, a Kentucky Foundation for Women grant, and an Obie Award for best play.

Wallace is also a recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship, the grant popularly known as the genius award. She currently resides in North Yorkshire, England.

Wallace is presently under commission by The Public Theatre, Clean Break of London, and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

The Presidential Fellows program is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which concludes in December 2009. The campaign seeks to enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

Charles Warden and his wife both graduated from Cornell in 1941. Charles went on to a successful career in law and real estate.

The gift will fund the Ruth Ohlsen Warden Memorial Elevator in King Chapel.

“Cornell means a great deal to me. My wife and I were classmates, and I wanted something solid that would represent her and her memory. I wanted something physical and permanent. I couldn’t build a chapel, but I thought I’d do that,” said Warden.

Warden was a fighter pilot in WW II. He retired in 1980 from Western Federal Savings as a senior vice president, and served as a municipal judge, a lawyer, and director of the Federal Housing Administration for the state of Colorado. He received his law degree from the University of Iowa.

“We’re thankful for Charles’ generous donation,” said Vice President for Alumni and College Advancement Peter Wilch. “The improvements to historic King Chapel are a centerpiece of our campus renovations, and this gift will ensure accessibility for all to the many important events and speakers King Chapel hosts.”

Charles Warden’s gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign.

Lois Wilkinson Sieben, a 1938 graduate of Cornell, learned to play the organ and the piano at the college, and went on to become a church organist and piano teacher.

King Chapel will be undergoing renovations and repairs as part of a campus-wide refurbishing of the campus, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in its entirety. The chapel has a long history of hosting famous visitors, from Martin Luther King Jr., to Antonin Scalia, to, recently, George Stephanopoulos.

But to Sieben, the history of King Chapel is so much more personal.

“I’m grateful that I was able to do this. The chapel has meant a lot to me,” Sieben says. “I spent so much time in King Chapel and at the organ. My husband gave my diamond ring to me in the chapel in April of my senior year.”

The gift will cover $30,000 in immediate organ repairs, while the remaining $100,000 will be used for King Chapel renovations.

“We’re grateful for Lois’ generous gift,” said Vice President for Alumni and College Advancement Peter Wilch. “King Chapel is the centerpiece of our campus, and her gift will help ensure it continues to serve as a gathering place for our community for generations to come.”

The Lois Sieben’s gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign.

Dick Brubaker, a 1955 graduate and the founder of Richwrap Inc., is in his third year as chair of the Cornell College board of trustees, and his 11^th overall.

“This campaign is one of the most important events in the history of the college,” said Brubaker. “It is deserving of my support and my wife’s.”

After graduating from Cornell in 1955, Brubaker returned to the school for four years to work as an admission counselor. In 1964 he went back to school, earning his MBA from the University of Iowa before finding his way into the gift wrap industry. From there, he founded Richwrap in 1970, a company that manufactures and distributes gift wrap specialties, especially for the industrial gift market. His wife, Beth, graduated from Cornell in 1961.

The largest portion of the gift will increase the Cornell College endowment and annual funds. The remainder of the gift will supplement the Class of 1955 Travel Fund for off-campus study, the Beta Omicron Distinguished Alumni Visitors Fund, and renovations and expansions to Cornell’s wrestling and weight rooms.

“We are extremely thankful to Dick and Beth for their financial commitment to our campaign and for their service to Cornell,” said Cornell College President Les Garner. “Their gift demonstrates the leadership and vision they bring to our mission and will impact students for years to come.”

The Brubakers’ gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign.

“I view this as an opportunity to give back to Cornell a portion of what they gave me in education, experience and growth,” said Russell of Pentwater, Mich.

Russell earned her Ph.D. in biology from Rice University in 1971. From then until 1993, she worked at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., teaching and researching. She contributed significant work to bone and calcium research and was able to extend many of the medical principles concerning growth and repair in the skeleton.

Half of the $2 million deferred gift will endow the Jean E. Russell Chair in Molecular Biology as part of Cornell College’s Dimensions: The Center for the Science and Culture of Healthcare programs. The other $1 million is unrestricted.

“We are grateful for Jean’s gift and for her support of Cornell,” said Cornell College President Les Garner. “Her generous gift will have a lasting impact on the biology program, as well as the entire campus.”

Russell’s gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign.

Luce, of Englewood, Colo., connected with Cornell when his daughter Lynn was drawn to Cornell’s One-Course-At-A-Time calendar. Luce served Cornell as a trustee when Lynn began at Cornell in 1989. He became a life trustee in 2003, and received honorary alum status in 1995 with his wife, Betsy.

“I’ve always been an admirer of One-Course-At-A-Time,” said Luce. “It’s not only the best innovation in higher education in a long time, it’s the only one.”

Luce’s patronage of Cornell College has long created extraordinary opportunities for Cornell, its students and prospective students. Starting in the 1990s, Luce personally flew high school counselors to visit Cornell on his twin engine prop jet. When Luce completed his three terms as a trustee, the son of Time Magazine founder Henry Luce was recognized by the Luce Foundation, which gave Cornell $1 million to fund and endow the Peter Paul Luce Gallery.

“Mr. Luce has been a long-time supporter of the college’s student recruitment program,” said Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admission Jonathan Stroud. “He understands the importance of a professional and attractive facility for receiving prospective students and their families.”

The expansion and renovation of the Peter Paul Luce Admission Center will enhance the professional work environment for staff and will create a more inviting reception area for visitors. New offices will be built and the reception space will double in size to provide a more attractive and comfortable space for receiving visitors and interviewing students.

“Peter is a loyal friend of Cornell, and this gift is another demonstration of his support for the College and for our admission program,” said Cornell College President Les Garner. “We are extremely grateful for his commitment to this important project.”

Peter Paul Luce’s gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign.

DePrenger, a former teacher and wrestling coach, was a four-time conference champion wrestler at Cornell and is a member of Cornell’s Athletics Hall of Fame. He has continually funded Cornell’s Matman Invitational, a yearly wrestling tournament that regularly attracts Iowa’s best wrestlers. His latest gift is not restricted to athletics and will be used for the highest needs of the college.

“I wanted to help the college,” said DePrenger. “The wrestling, the academics and the size of Cornell all fit me very well.”

DePrenger started Matman Wrestling in his home in Iowa in 1969 by making uniforms on his own four sewing machines. Since then, Matman has grown internationally to equip Olympic teams since 1998, including the U.S. and teams in more than 30 other nations as well. DePrenger and his wife, Jayne, are also the primary sponsors of the International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Newton, Iowa.

“We’re grateful for Warren’s gift and his long-standing support of Cornell and Ram athletics,” said Cornell College President Les Garner. “Our wrestling program would not be where it is today without his support, and this gift will be just as transformative for the rest of the campus.”

Warren DePrenger’s gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign.

The funds will be used to purchase cell culture equipment, a gel documentation system, an atomic absorption spectrometer, and a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer.

“The way we teach is different today. We need the most recent equipment to keep up with new technology so that our students get the best liberal arts education possible,” said Cornell Professor of Biology Craig Tepper, “This grant is a significant step in creating an environment that attracts top science students and faculty to Cornell.”

The new equipment will be used in all levels of coursework and will actively enhance student-faculty research, allowing the department to further integrate biology and chemistry while simultaneously providing open-ended, hands-on laboratory opportunities for students.

“The Carver Trust has a longstanding interest in science education and institutions of higher learning in Iowa,” said Lynne Sasmazer, Program Director for the Trust, “Our board of trustees is very pleased to make this award to Cornell College, in keeping with the Trust’s mission to foster ongoing improvement in quality academic programs for the benefit of youth in our state.”

The Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust is the largest private philanthropic foundation in the state of Iowa. Biomedical and scientific research; primary, secondary and higher education; and other issues related to the needs of youth are the program areas of greatest interest to the Carver Charitable Trust.

“We are grateful for the generosity of the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust,” commented Cornell College President Les Garner. “This grant will have a profound impact on the teaching and learning experience at Cornell College by providing access to state of the art scientific tools.”

This grant from the Carver Trust will count as part of the comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College, which concludes in December 2009. The campaign seeks to enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

John Lively, a 1955 Cornell graduate and longtime volunteer, said he wanted to give something back to Cornell College, and to others who knew the heart of central Iowa as he did.

“The spark for my idea came from a long-time banker, Fred Gilbert, in my hometown of State Center, Iowa, who, when he died, gave a scholarship to Cornell College,” said Lively. “Like him, I wanted to leave something to my alma mater, and to the town where I grew up.”

After graduating from Cornell and leaving the Army, Lively worked for five years at KFJB radio in Marshalltown, before spending three years at WHO in Des Moines. He then spent the next 28 years in public relations working for 3M in St. Paul, Minn. and in New York City, before retiring in 1994. Currently, he lives in Edina, Minn., and Palm Springs, Calif.

“ Central Iowa will always be special to me. I worked summers there in radio while I was in college and full-time in news after that,” he said. “It was radio for what we called the ‘Heart of Iowa.’ So I decided to open up a Cornell College scholarship to the surrounding counties, to anyone who could hear KFJB radio.”

The scholarship will provide aid to students from West Marshall High School – the successor to the school from which Lively graduated – or to students from other high schools in and around Marshall County with an interest in English, business or economics.

“We are extremely grateful to John for his generous financial commitment to this campaign and his longstanding service to the Hilltop,” said Cornell College President Les Garner. “This gift will enable Cornell to make important strides toward building the College’s endowment and will benefit Cornellians for generations to come.”

John Lively’s gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which will continue through December 2009. The campaign will enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit cornellcollege.edu/campaign.

The gift is from the Riesen Foundation, supported by Cornell graduates Dean and Bambi Riesen. Dean, a 1979 graduate, has directed their support to critical areas he is aware of as vice chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Part of the gift has been used in The Commons to build the Roe Howard Fitness Center, create a Starbucks coffee lounge and renovate the Rathskeller snack bar and Orange Carpet.

The gift also supports the creation of the Cornell Fellows Program, designed to place Cornell students in high-level professional settings. The program is modeled after Riesen’s experience during the first year of the college’s One-Course-At-A-Time (OCAAT) calendar—an internship with Rockwell Collins he credits with launching his career. Already 60 Cornell Fellows have held fellowships in locations from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston to the Target Corporation in Minneapolis to the USDA in Washington, D.C.

The gift will initiate a Presidential Fellows Program to bring leading scholars to campus to teach a course that enriches the curriculum. Because of the OCAAT calendar, scholars can teach an entire course in 3 1/2 weeks.

In addition, the gift established the Roe Howard Freedom Lecture. Howard was a Mount Vernon native and 1917 Cornell graduate who received the Distinguished Service Cross in World War I before he was killed in action at Chateau Theirry, France, in 1918. He founded the college’s still-active men’s Greek group Beta Omicron.

“I think it’s critical not to wait until late in life to start sharing our wealth with the people and organizations that helped us,” Riesen said. “We need to get involved now while we can do more than just give, while we can bring our life experiences to bear on the challenge of education for the 21st century. For a liberal arts college one of its most important challenges is to create a bridge to the work world. The long term benefits of a liberal arts education in a ‘flat world’ are clear.”

“As a trustee I don’t just come and raise my hand and vote. There is an opportunity to help Cornell accomplish its vision by creating programs like the Cornell Fellows. Trustees actually can help President Garner and his team make the vision a reality and they are making a huge impact on students within only a year or two. Cornell isn’t your average small liberal arts college in Iowa. We have a much bigger vision and a much bigger opportunity to reach students and people from around the world.”

Riesen, who grew up in Nevada, Iowa, used his 1979 Cornell degree in economics and politics to propel an international career in hotels, restaurants and real estate investment. He is now a managing partner of Rimrock Capital Partners in Phoenix, Ariz., serves on numerous boards including Meridian Bank, N.A., Famous Dave’s of America, Goldwater Institute and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce. He is deeply involved in charitable work in Tanzania as chairman of the Tanzania Water Fund. Bambi Riesen, a 1982 Cornell graduate, holds a master’s degree in educational psychology. They have three children.

“Dean’s vision and leadership as a Cornell trustee have resulted in more modern facilities and new opportunities for Cornell students. The Cornell Fellows program has already become a coveted student experience, and the Presidential Fellows will add a new dimension to the academic program,” said Cornell President Les Garner. “I am grateful for Dean and Bambi’s commitment and generosity.”

The Riesen Foundation gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College which concludes in December 2009. The campaign seeks to enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, visit www.cornellcollege.edu/campaign.

Dorris Board Hill, a 1943 Cornell graduate, died July 1 in her Muncie, Ind., home. She was 84. She was born in Cascade, graduated from Monticello High School and taught vocal music at Elkader High School.

“She grew up in a rural area, so it was an exciting opportunity in her life to be able to go on to college,” said her attorney, Mark Ervin of Muncie. “She realized what Cornell had meant in her life, and how her life had changed as a result of it. She had many, many fond memories of the time she spent at Cornell, of meeting (her husband) Bob.

“With her gift, Dorris was really looking to do something meaningful, something that would have an impact on lives beyond her own.”

While earning a degree in music education, she sang in choirs at Cornell and at her church. The endowed scholarship in music will bear her name.

The new endowed scholarship fund in politics will honor her husband, Robert Hill Jr., who died in 1999. Robert was from Oxford Junction, majored in history, politics and French, graduating from Cornell in 1947 after serving more than three years in World War II. In the mid-1950s the Hills moved to Muncie when he joined the faculty at Ball State University. He retired in 1990 from the department of psychological science. The Hills had two children, now deceased, and two grandchildren.

“We are pleased that a Cornell education had such an impact on Dorris Hill’s life. And we are grateful she recognized the power of such an experience for future generations of Cornell students, and she was willing to help make that possible with these endowed scholarship funds,” said Cornell President Les Garner.

This gift from the Dorris Hill Estate is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign “Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College” which concludes in December 2009. The campaign seeks
to enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, please visit www.cornellcollege.edu/campaign

Approximately $74 million has been pledged to date for the campaign, the largest in Cornell’s history. “Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College” intends:

• $50 million for the endowment, which helps support endowed scholarships, faculty endowments, international and off-campus study, student-faculty research and programs for students interested in business (Berry Center for Economics, Business, and Public Policy) and in the health care professions (Dimensions: The Center for the Science and Culture of Healthcare).

• $31 million for renovations to West Science Center, The Commons student union, Pfeiffer Residence Hall and King Chapel.

• $11 million for the annual fund that supports the daily operations of the college.

The pledge from Small and his wife, Norma, provides funding for the endowment and capital projects, including renovations to Pfeiffer, The Commons and Rood House, a former residence hall that will be repurposed and renamed the Paul Scott Alumni Center. Paul Scott was a 1929 graduate, coach of Cornell’s 1947 NCAA championship wrestling team and a former alumni director. He died in 2003.

The $5 million from Smith and his wife, Dyan, is for the endowment and capital projects.

“Each gift to this campaign is an investment in Cornell’s innovative approach to education, in its students, and through those students, in a more enlightened world,” said Smith, a member of Cornell’s board of trustees and a 1971 graduate.

Small says the campaign will further strengthen Cornell’s aspirations to be one of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges. “I believe in a liberal arts education, and I believe this campaign is absolutely the best way to serve Cornell students,” he said.

The campaign began in July 2004 and is scheduled to conclude in December 2009.

CELEBRATION
Cornell will celebrate the campaign success to date with a homecoming dinner at the Cedar Rapids Marriott Hotel on Saturday, Oct. 13, followed by a gala celebration (starting at approximately 8 p.m.) featuring a multimedia presentation and a performance by alumni members of the Pandemonium steel drum band.

RICHARD SMALL
A 1950 Cornell graduate, Richard Small built a successful oil-marketing business, Cheker Oil Co., and later chaired Tri-Star Aerospace, a leading distributor of materials for the aerospace industry. He served 23 years on Cornell’s board of trustees, including three years as chair, and is a life trustee. His wife, Norma, is an honorary alumna and an honorary trustee. Their philanthropy to Cornell includes a $20 million campaign gift – the largest in Cornell history – in the 1980s, a $12 million charitable lead trust, an endowed faculty chair and renovations of numerous academic buildings and residence halls, plus Cole Library and the Small Multi-Sport Center.

JOHN SMITH
A 1971 Cornell graduate, John Smith is president and CEO of CRST International, the Cedar Rapids-based trucking business started by his father in 1955. He has served on Cornell’s board of trustees since 2004; serves on the advisory board to Cornell’s Berry Center for Economics, Business, and Public Policy; and chairs the board of trustees campaign committee.

“Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College” runs through 2009 and seeks to enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, please visit www.cornellcollege.edu/campaign

Esther Armstrong was an honorary alumna of Cornell and life trustee on Cornell’s board, which she served from 1958 to 1985. She died in 2002. She and her husband, chairman of Armstrong’s department store in Cedar Rapids who died in 1990, had two daughters who attended Cornell. Mary Armstrong Dusek, class of 1950, and Esther Armstrong Cooper, class of 1952, are both deceased.

John Bickel of Cedar Rapids, a Cornell alumnus and board member who served with Armstrong, says she was “engaged, enthusiastic and wise.” She was so committed to her task on the board that she volunteered to stay overnight in a women’s residence hall, he recalls.

“She did this so she could speak authoritatively about the student experience at board meetings,” Bickel said. “She loved the extraordinary opportunities Cornell provided for the students.”

The Commons, completed in 1966, is the “town square” of the campus, where students socialize, recreate, dine, learn and find goods and services. Renovation of The Commons, due to begin next summer, will involve a total remake of the building, including a more spacious entryway, lounge space and private dining rooms; the larger and more prominent bookstore; and an addition that will feature a multipurpose room to seat 200 people that can be used for meetings, lectures, dances and catered events. The project is expected to cost $12 million.

“The trust was set up to carry on their charitable work done over the years, and we felt this was something the Armstrongs would want,” trustee Russell Swenson, Cedar Rapids, said of the gift to Cornell.

Cornell previously received a gift from the trust to support spiritual programming and facilities improvements to Allee Chapel.

“Cornell is grateful for the longstanding support the Armstrongs have given to the college, and we are pleased to continue this partnership as we reaffirm the importance of The Commons to the campus community,” said Cornell President Les Garner.

The Armstrong Charitable Trust’s gift is part of Cornell College’s comprehensive campaign “Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College” which concludes in December 2009. The campaign seeks
to enhance the Cornell experience by increasing the college’s endowment, upgrading its facilities, and enhancing the academic program.

For more information about the campaign or making a gift, please visit www.cornellcollege.edu/campaign