Padflc Lutheran unlvemty scene
June
1990
De velopmen t
usic Center Benefits
rom
$1 .5 Mi llion Gift
Largest Individual Gift In PL U History Is Dona ted Anon ymously
acific Lutheran U n iversity's 1 990 centennial is becom in g a once-in-a-centu ry experience in more ways than one. For the second t i m e in fou r m o n t h s the u n i vers ity h a s received a seven-figure g ift ear marked for its plan ned mu sic center. The newest gift, $ 1 . 5 m i l l ion from an anonymous Tacoma d o n o r, w i l l eventu a l l y be the naming gift for the center's con cert hall. The gift was the largest from a single individual in the universi ty's h istory. Last Janu a ry PLU received $ 1 . 8 m i l lion from Mary Baker Russe l l a n d her brother, Elbert H. Ba ker II, both of Tacoma. That gift was the un iversity's largest ever sin g le donation. As a resu lt, the center Will be named i n M rs. Rus sell's honor. The eventual ly-named 500 to 600-seat concert hall is the most promi nent featu re of the cen ter. The new gift brin gs total g ifts and pledges towa rd the Russe l l Music Center t o m ore than $5 m i l lion. Exp ressi ng his g ratitude for the generous gift, PLU School of the Arts Dean Dr. R i c h a rd M oe pOinted out, "The donor is desir ous that this concert hall be the outsta ndin g performa nce hall in the northwest . " Construction of t h e faci l ity i s e xpected to beg i n before the en d of the cent e n n i a l yea r obse rvance i n May 1 9 91 . The u n iversity has selected Z i mmer Gu nsu l F rasca P a rtn ersh i p , a Seatt le a rch itectu ra l fi rm, to design the center.
P
G regory Baldwi n , one of t h e f,i rm's partners, sees t h e b u i l d i n g as "an integrated center for the arts often promoted but rarely ach ieved ." H i s firm p l a n s to develop a plan that will enhance the west entrance to the cam pus. Baldwin noted that "the com m itment of PLU to i nstruction and perfo r m a nce p rovi des a strong i n centive to p rod uce a b u i l d i n g grega r i ous in natu re one that reveals to the outside public and to the ca mpus co m munity the breadth and nat u re of the work of the Department of Music." PLU President Dr. William Rieke poi nted out that the Mary Baker Russel l Music Center w i l l fi l l a reg ional need for a fi rst rate m u sical arts center and is i n effect a gift from t h e don ors and PLU to the com m u n ity . " I know the donors see i t in that way," he added. Luther Bekemeier, PLU v i ce president for develo p m e nt , em phasized t h e local roots of the center's principal donors and the g rowing p a rt n e r s h i p between PLU and local citizens in the development of cu ltural and intel lectual opportun ities in the Tacoma a rea. He also exp lai ned that the cen ter wi l l solve an u rgent space problem for the growing, nation ally-recog ni zed m usic p rogram at PLU. The music center is one of the goals of the $30 m i l l i on "Shaping Tomo rrow" Cente n n i a l F u n d campaign. Approxi mately $ 2 5 m i l l i on in cash a n d pledges have been rece ived toward that goal .
Cliff and Ella Olson
Olson Charitable Annuity Will Aid Athletics, M sic Students "PLU has been o u r l i fe," said Cl iff Olson recently. "We've been out here 61 years now." The 85-year old former PLU coach and at h l et i c d i rector (1 92 9-48) a n d h is wife E l l a recently added to the man ifold gifts they have bestowed u pon the un iversity over six decades by establishing a $ 2 50,000 chari table gift annu ity. $ 1 50,000 wi l l endow need sc h o l a rs h i ps i n
New Anderson Sc holarsh i p Wi l l Hel p St ud ents PLU recently received an in itial gift from Dorothy Anderson of
Seattle to est a b l i s h a fa m i ly scholars h i p at the un ivers ity in
memo ry of her parents (see pho tos). The William and Jeanie Ander son Scho larsh ip Endowment w i l l b e used t o help deserving stu dents with fi nancial need who are beyond their f i rst year of study. The senior Andersons, natives of Paisley, Scotland, i m m ig rated to Seattle i n 1 901 . Th ey soon boug h t a fou ndry whic h la ter became Eagle Metals. Miss Anderson, a 1 9 26 gradu ate of the Un iversity of Wash i ng ton, worked in the fa mily b usi ness and also as a d ietitIan .
William and Jeanie Anderson
The fa m i ly as l ong t i es to PLU. Dorothy and her brother Cha rles have been Q CI b Fel lows or supporters of PL U capital p rojects and special scholarships for over 1 8 years.
C l iff's name for student ath letes; $1 00,000 wi l l endow schol a rships in El la's name for m u sic students. O l son g radu ated from Luther Co llege in Decorah, la., in 1 9 27. The next year he accepted a post at Spokane Col lege, w h i c h me rged with P L U i n 1 9 29. A t PLU O l son served as head v a rsity footba l l, basket b a l l and track coach; ath l etic d i rector, e q u i p ment manager, busi ness manag er, purchasing agent, t ra i n er, ticket ma nager, p romotion man and em ployment b u reau. He also taught Lat in, h istory and physi cal ed ucation. At the time, PLU had an enrol l ment of less than 200 students. From 1 9 39-4 1 h i s foot b a l l teams brought PLU national rec ognition. Und efeated in 1 940, t hey were even ra nked for a time among the major football powers in the count ry. Followi ng h i s departure from the PLU faculty, Olson became a p roperty a nd estate manager for several prominent Tacom ans, but ties with PLU remai ned close. In 1 9 69 t h e u n i versity named its new gym nasiu m-audi torium i n his honor. Ella has enjoyed a l ife-long love of music. A m e m ber of the acclaimed St. Olaf Co l lege choir i n the ' 205, she h e l ped with PLU's fled g l i ng choi r i n t he ' 30s and taught h ig h school music. She was a lso cal l ed u pon as a soloist at the weddings of many PLU students.