Power of Personal Philanthropy - Summer 2013

The

Powerof Personal Philanthropy Summer 2013

www.support.vcu.edu

1 8 3 8 - 2 0 1 3 V i r g i n i a

C o m m o n w e a l t h

U n i v e r s i t y

The

Powerof Personal Philanthropy Summer 2013

www.support.vcu.edu

Inside this issue 5 School of Nursing recognizes visionary leaders 6 Dean leaves lasting legacy at School of Nursing 7 Gifts show trust in School of Medicine education 8 Tapping into matching gifts leaves lasting impact 9 Alumni aid helps departments tackle shortages 10 Pharmacy names first McFarlane Professor 11 Businesses contribute funds, judges for event 13 VCU Alumni receives $484,000 bequest 16 Development and alumni relations names new VP 18 Gift honors mother’s vision, starts professorship

6

8

11

13

On the cover

Gifts like the $5 million donation from the Pauley Family Foundation to the VCU Pauley Heart Center enable the university to perform cutting-edge research, save lives and improve the human experience.

Editor: Melanie Irvin Seiler (B.S. ’96), miseiler@vcu.edu, (804) 828-3975 Writer: Nan Johnson, nljohnson@vcu.edu

2 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

18

Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., dean, School of Medicine (left), Dorothy A. (B.A. ’74) and Stanley F. Pauley, VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., and Sheldon M. Retchin, M.D., M.S.P.H., senior vice president for health sciences and CEO of the VCU Health System, celebrate the Pauley Family Foundation’s latest gift to the heart center.

Planned gift doubles $5 million for heart center In February, the Pauley Family Foundation gave $5 million to support the expansion and enhancement of recruitment and research at the Pauley Heart Center at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center.

“This is a project that is near and dear to my heart,” said Stanley F. Pauley, whose Pauley Family Foundation has been a longtime supporter of VCU. The Pauley gift will have an even bigger impact because of the generosity of another couple. Shortly before their deaths more than 55 years ago, Arthur and Margaret Glasgow included VCU in their estate plan. After the death of their last heir in 2011, the couple’s philanthropic vision made possible a cash gift to VCU of nearly $45 million, the largest cash gift in the university’s history. The gift was dedicated to research into cancer and other degenerative diseases and became the VCU Glasgow Endowment, which provided a dollar-for-dollar match for the recent foundation gift.

The philanthropic connection between Pauley and the heart center began in 2006, when the former heart center patient, impressed by the staff and treatment he received, directed his family foundation to make a $5 million gift to VCU for its heart center, which was later renamed Pauley Heart Center.

“The care these health care professionals provide is so genuine and moving that it is an honor to contribute to research that will enable them to learn even more about heart disease,” he said.

The VCU Pauley Heart Center was among the first in the U.S. to implant the CardioWest temporary Total Artificial Heart, or TAH-t — the only total artificial heart approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — and is known for many of its heart programs, including work in ventricular assist devices, electrophysiology, emergency cardiac care, atrial fibrillation treatment, cardiothoracic surgery and heart transplantation.

“VCU’s progress as one of the nation’s top 50 public research universities has been accelerated by a series of game-changers, and the Pauley Family Foundation’s latest generous gift is another example,” said Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of VCU and the VCU Health System. “Their continued support empowers my colleagues at Pauley Heart Center to save lives and improve the human experience throughout Virginia and beyond.” ✫ see Planned gift, continued on Page 4 Summer 2013 | 3

Supporters enjoy Shakin’ Not Stirred fundraiser Virginia Commonwealth University Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center celebrated a successful Shakin’ Not Stirred fundraiser April 26. Guests enjoyed a “Casino Royale” gaming room and signature cocktails at the Commonwealth Club.

“We rely on partnerships with supporters to pursue our quest to alter the trajectory of Parkinson’s and related movement disorders.

We appreciate all who attend Shakin’ Not Stirred and support the center’s efforts to improve scientific understanding that translates into improved lives for patients and families coping with these diseases,” said James P. Bennett Jr., M.D., Ph.D., center director and Bemiss Professor of Neurology.

David C. Reynolds (left), co-founder of the Movers and Established in 2010, the VCU Shakers advocacy group, talks with James P. Bennett Jr., Parkinson’s and Movement M.D., Ph.D., director of the VCU Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center.

Disorders Center is committed to partnering with the academic, clinical and patient communities to make progress in treatments for movement disorders.

The center is focused on developing treatments that stop disease progression — that go beyond treating the symptoms.

To learn more, contact Andrea Perseghin (B.S. ’06; M.Ed. ’09), associate director of education and outreach, at (804) 828-3747 or aperseghin@vcu.edu.

Planned gift,

continued from Page 3

Also in February, VCU announced a fundraising campaign to raise an additional $5 million for the Pauley Heart Center. If the campaign reaches its goal, the money will be matched dollar for dollar by the Glasgow Endowment, too.

“The Glasgow gift was truly transformative,” said Sheldon M. Retchin, M.D., M.S.P.H. (H.S. ’79), senior vice president for health sciences and CEO of the VCU Health System. “It paved the way for a remarkable surge in our research efforts.

Additionally, the Glasgow family had a philanStanley F. and Dorothy A. Pauley thropic vision that is now becoming a reality.”

Tom Burke (B.S. ’79; M.P.A. ’95), executive director of the VCU Foundation and interim vice president of development and alumni relations, said planned giving is becoming more commonplace.

“Our planned giving Heritage Society grows every year as alumni and friends see the benefit of making significant gifts utilizing bequests and trusts,” he said.

These gifts to the VCU Pauley Heart Center, supported by the Glasgow Endowment match, will have a long-lasting impact, Retchin said.

“The Pauley family contributions will be felt for generations to come,” he said.

To learn more about planned giving, contact Brian Thomas, senior executive director of development for the MCV Foundation, at (804) 828-0067 or bsthomas@vcu.edu.

4 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Gift honors mother’s vision, starts professorship As a teenager thinking about college, Peter Aiken, Ph.D. (B.S. ’81; M.S. ’84), never thought about applying to Virginia Commonwealth University. Thankfully, his mother knew best and applied for him.

“I was meant to be at VCU, and my mother knew that,” Aiken said. “I had always envisioned myself in this type of urban format but didn’t realize it.”

Aiken, who today is an associate professor in the VCU School of Business, and his wife, Cathy Denton (B.A. ’97; Cert. ’02), have an affinity for the university.

One of the things the two have in common, Denton said, is that VCU helped them find themselves.

“We greatly value VCU. It’s not a cloisA new professorship established by Cathy tered college with little outside exposure and Denton and Peter Aiken, Ph.D., honors his interaction. It’s part of the overall Richmond mother and advances faculty recruitment in community and creates good, solid businessthe business school. people, and that means a lot to us,” she said.

“It helped us figure out what we wanted to be when we grew up.”

Both feel strongly about giving back, and in December 2012, the couple named the School of Business Foundation as the beneficiary on a $500,000 life insurance policy to establish the Susan Thomas Benck Aiken Professorship in Data Management, in honor of Peter’s mother.

The idea came about after Aiken’s parents named him as executor of their estate.

“As we were talking about estate planning, I was reminded that at 18 years old, I had applied to a couple of colleges and been accepted. But my mother knew me well and applied to VCU in my name. It was a much better choice for me,” he said. “And I’m thankful for that. If she hadn’t done that, I would have been on another track.

This is a way to say, ‘It’s 35 years late, Mom, but it was really great of you to put in the application for me.’ We very much wanted to say thanks.”

This isn’t the first time the couple has given back to VCU. In 2000, they established the Peter H. Aiken Merit Scholarship in the School of Business by contributing $80 twice a month over five years. Awarded to an incoming, full-time freshman, the scholarship can be renewed for an additional three years provided the student remains in good standing. Walter Nickerson (B.S. ’13), the 2012-13 recipient, was a magna cum laude graduate in information systems.

“It really wasn’t hard to do,” Denton said. “It’s easy to spend more than that every month on simple purchases like gourmet coffee!”

Aiken also gave $10,000 for a naming opportunity when Snead Hall, home to the School of Business, opened.

“Essentially, I purchased my office,” he joked.

School of Business Dean Ed Grier is appreciative of the couple’s generous financial support.

“We cannot thank Peter and Cathy enough for their generosity and support. Their gift will create a long-term legacy for the VCU School of Business,” he said. “Their generosity allows the school to establish the Susan Thomas Benck Aiken Professorship in Data Management, which will enable us to attract world-class professors interested in advancing the field of information systems.”

To learn more about planned giving and the School of Business, contact Joey Broussard, director of major gifts, at (804) 827-7408 or jebroussard@vcu.edu.

Summer 2013 | 5

School of Nursing recognizes visionary leaders As part of the celebration of its 120th anniversary, the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing recognized alumni and faculty as 120 Visionary Leaders during a gala in May at The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Va. Nancy F. Langston, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, ANEF, retired dean of the School of Nursing and one of the honorees, received special recognition for serving 22 years at the helm of the school.

She retired this summer.

“Tonight’s really not about me,” Langston said in addressing the honorees. “It’s about us. It’s about you.”

Recognizing 120 Visionary Leaders, she said, aligned with the school’s anniversary.

“I believe each of them would say they are but exemplars of thousands of others,” she said. “There are 120 because we are 120 years old, but there are thousands who truly are visionary leaders.”

A highlight of the gala was the announcement of the successful completion of the Cabaniss Leadership Challenge, the School of Nursing’s $4 million campaign to raise endowed funds for nursing scholarships, professorships and projects in support of the school’s mission. Two significant gifts were announced as part of the campaign: • A $1.25 million gift from the VCU Health System to establish the Nancy F. Langston Center for Quality, Safety and Innovation in the School of Nursing • A $250,000 gift from Gail W. Johnson, RN (B.S. ’67; M.S. ’76), CEO of Rainbow Station and chair of the MCV Foundation Board of Trustees, to establish the Gail W. Johnson Professorship for Innovative Leadership in the school With nearly 380 guests filling the ballroom at The Jefferson Hotel, the gala raised about $100,000 for the Nancy F. Langston Fund in the VCU School of Nursing. The gala was co-chaired by Johnson and Shirley R. Gibson, RN, FACHE (B.S. ’88; M.S. ’90), associate vice president of nursing at the VCU Health System.

The full list of 120 Visionary Leaders can be viewed on the School of Nursing’s website at www.nursing .vcu.edu/images/stories/120VisionaryLeaders.pdf.

Right: VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., congratulates Nancy F. Langston, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, ANEF, on her special recognition as a visionary leader.

Bottom: Shirley Gibson, RN, FACHE, associate vice president of nursing at the VCU Health System (right), and Gail W. Johnson, RN, co-chairs of the School of Nursing gala held in May, enjoy the festivities with Earl Johnson.

6 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Sheldon M. Retchin, M.D., M.S.P.H., senior vice president for health sciences and CEO of the VCU Health System, thanks Nancy F. Langston, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, ANEF (center), for recruiting outstanding faculty and enhancing the School of Nursing’s academic programs during her tenure as dean.

Dean leaves lasting legacy at School of Nursing After 22 years of dedicated leadership, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing Dean Nancy F. Langston, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, ANEF, retired this summer. True to her philanthropic form, she will leave a lasting legacy through a generous $250,000 bequest to establish the Nancy F. Langston Professorship, which she hopes will help VCU recruit and retain the brightest and best faculty to the school.

Appointed in 1991, Langston transformed the VCU School of Nursing into a national leader in nursing education and research, said Sheldon M. Retchin, M.D., M.S.P.H. (H.S. ’79), senior vice president for health sciences at VCU and CEO of the VCU Health System. She pioneered online offerings, an accelerated degree path and more focused and dynamic graduate programs.

Her efforts led to expanded student enrollment and created multiple longstanding partnerships both on and off campus to foster health and wellness in areas of great need.

“This bequest reflects my deep commitment to higher education,” Langston said. “As I have moved through my career, I have consistently supported the university as part of my annual giving program. I believe in the importance of our work in advancing a better world, and I believe in the contributions of educated nurses within that better world.”

While she will make a permanent difference with her planned gift, Langston left an indelible mark as dean, too.

“When Nancy Langston first arrived as dean of the VCU School of Nursing more than two decades ago, it was a good school that offered superb clinical training to its students,” Retchin said. “However, during her 22-year tenure as dean, she has taken it from ‘good’ to ‘great’ by recruiting an outstanding faculty, building its research base and enhancing the school’s academic programs.”

Langston encourages her colleagues from across the university to join her in support of the work of their school or department.

“It is not possible for this or any university to achieve greatness and distinction simply with funds from state dollars. We give of our time and our talents to advance the work of universities; we should also give of our financial resources,” she said. “When we give to our programs it demonstrates to others outside the academy that we believe what we do is worthy of philanthropic support — our actions speak loudly.”

To learn more about the School of Nursing, contact Kelly Gotschalk (B.F.A. ’90; M.A. ’97), director of annual giving and alumni engagement, at (804) 828-2993 or kjgotschalk@vcu.edu.

Summer 2013 | 7

Gifts show trust in School of Medicine education Brothers Eric Nguyen, M.D. (B.S. ’07; M.D. ’12), and Don Nguyen (B.S. ’08) were accepted at several Virginia colleges, but they chose Virginia Commonwealth University to study biology. They liked the experience so much, said their parents Hang and Duc Nguyen, Ph.D., that when they both decided to go to medical school, the VCU School of Medicine was the obvious choice.

Eric Nguyen, who earned his VCU medical degree in 2012, is completing an internal medicine residency at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va., and Don Nguyen expects to earn a dual degree in medicine and a master’s in health administration at VCU in 2014.

“The School of Medicine welcomed our sons just as this country welcomed my wife and me from Vietnam,” Duc Nguyen said. “This country was generous to support us, and we both feel it is important to Hang (left) and her husband, Duc, are happy to give back. We’re glad to support the school support the School of Medicine in appreciation in this way, in appreciation of what our of the experiences had by their sons Eric (left) and Don. sons experienced.”

The elder Nguyens have given generously to VCU through the 2009 establishment of the Nguyen-Ninh Partial Scholarship in the College of Humanities and Sciences’ biology department, to which they continue to contribute. Awarded to undergraduate biology majors with excellent academic standing who demonstrate financial need, the scholarship benefitted three students so far.

The couple’s most recent gift of $15,000 to establish the Nguyen-Ninh VCU School of Medicine Endowed Fund will be directed to priority needs as determined by the dean.

“It is a remarkable vote of confidence when parents acknowledge the excellence of our educational programs with a gift that will help secure the future of medical education on the MCV Campus,” said Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the School of Medicine. “We are proud to have earned their trust.”

Duc Nguyen, a civil engineering professor at Old Dominion University, and his wife, Hang, a systems analyst who has been employed as a subcontractor for the U.S. Navy, have learned a lot about American philanthropy during their 28 years in the Norfolk and Chesapeake, Va., areas, Duc Nguyen explained.

“American generosity goes beyond the immediate family,” he said. “That’s one thing we’ve learned. We, too, want to give back to society in some small way. We hope others will do the same. In whatever amount they can. It doesn’t have to be big. We will continue to contribute to VCU in the years ahead, and we also plan to include VCU, ODU and other charity organizations, in our revised will.

“We’ve prepared our sons to contribute to their community and to society in general, after they finish their training and are in a better financial situation. They both spent a lot of time at VCU and enjoyed their education and their experiences there.

To us, it’s very important to give back.”

To learn more about the School of Medicine, contact Tom Holland, associate dean for development, at (804) 828-4800 or tehollan@vcu.edu.

8 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Tapping into matching gifts leaves lasting impacts Maybe the concept of “free money” is a bit paradoxical. But what if there were a way to take $100 and turn it into $200, or even $300, just by asking? What would you say then? Well, as it turns out, thousands of corporations do just that every year.

Through matching gift programs, companies enhance their employees’ charitable donations sometimes by as much as 200 percent, and all it takes to tap into that resource is to find out whether your company is one of them.

When Daniel Popovich decided to start giving to the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Allied Health Professions shortly after his daughter, Rose Marie Popovich (B.S. ’75; M.P.H. ’95), graduated with a degree in medical technology in 1975, he knew he couldn’t give as much as he’d like. He had a family to support and expenses to manage, but he also knew how much his daughter valued her education here (she would later return to study epidemiology in the School of Medicine) and so he wanted to give what he could.

“I was working for Standard Oil of New Jersey, now ExxonMobil, and they told us that for every dollar we donated, they’d give three times that amount,” Popovich recalled, “and I just thought that would be a great investment. Now, I give about $500 a year and Exxon gives $1,500 on top of that. It’s amazing.”

But ExxonMobil certainly isn’t alone in its willingness to match its employees’ donations. In fact, according to Giving USA, 65 percent of Fortune 500 companies, and many other smaller corporations, offer matching gift programs. Some companies like ExxonMobil will triple the gift, while others will double or match dollar for dollar, up to a certain amount, with the most common cap being $5,000.

These types of programs, said Clair Isenberg, manager of stewardship operations for VCU Advancement Services, provide an ideal way for people who give smaller amounts, either one time or annually, to increase their impact.

“If you’re curious about whether or not your company offers this, you can always talk to a human resources officer in your company, contact me directly or visit the VCU Foundation website, where we have a search engine that allows you to type in the name of your company, and we’ll tell you whether or not they have a matching gift program,” Isenberg said. “And, if they do, most companies allow you to register the gift online, and then they’ll complete the process with me. Donors can also fill out hard-copy applications, and I can guide people through the entire process.”

– Contributed by Andy Bates and originally published in the spring 2013 VCU Allied Health magazine For more information, contact Clair Isenberg, manager of stewardship operations, at (804) 828-0632 or csisenberg@vcu.edu.

Did you know?

More than 16,500 companies offer some form of a matching gift program for their employees. Some companies also match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses.

One in every 10

Top 10 corporate matchers at VCU: • Altria Group Inc.

• SunTrust Bank Foundation

• KPMG LLP

• Universal Corp.

• Dominion Virginia Power

• Eli Lilly & Co.

• Ernst & Young

• Bank of America

• Verizon Communications

• Wyeth

To learn more about matching gifts,

donations are eligible for a corporate match.

contact Clair Isenberg, manager of stewardship operations for VCU Advancement Services, at csisenberg@vcu.edu.

Source: HEP Development Services

Or, visit www.matchinggifts.com/vcu to find out if your company offers a matching gift program.

Summer 2013 | 9

Alumni aid helps departments tackle shortages

10 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Photo Barbara Williams

As a national shortfall heightens the need for clinical laboratory scientists, Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences in the School of Allied Health Professions is heeding the call with a plan to produce more graduates each year.

At VCU, the CLS department produces 25 to 35 B.S. graduates and up to 10 M.S. graduates each year. CLS graduates are snapped up — nearly 100 percent are employed within six months, said department Chair Teresa Nadder, Ph.D. (B.S. ’78; M.S. ’89; Ph.D. ’98).

That plan includes raising money for an endowed professorship that will help attract or retain top educators, Nadder said.

Mary Catherine Dowrick’s gift provides The department launched its CLS seed money for a professorship in the clinical laboratory sciences department.

Challenge at its 85th anniversary celebration in April 2012 to achieve two goals: raise money for an endowed professorship that will help attract and retain top educators and seek donor support for scholarships and the ever-increasing expense of laboratory equipment and supplies needed to educate students.

“The professorship will allow us to recruit and retain high-quality faculty and to honor faculty that have made significant accomplishments in the field,” Nadder said.

“We would need several large gifts to make the professorship a reality.”

Seed money for an endowed professorship was gifted by the late Mary Catherine Dowrick (B.S. ’69; M.S. ’72). She bequeathed nearly $45,000 to the CLS department upon her death in 2010.

Dowrick’s friend of 17 years, Barbara Williams (B.S. ’86), said Dowrick was passionate about giving back and wanted to support organizations that helped her succeed, including VCU. Dowrick retired after 35 years at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital as a clinical specialist in hematology.

“She loved going to school at VCU,” Williams said. “She had a professor who took her under his wing and mentored her, and that really changed her life.”

Dowrick would be honored that the department chose to use her bequest to endow a professorship, Williams said. Endowments typically help fund an existing faculty member’s salary, which frees up money for student scholarships and other critical initiatives.

The gerontology department in VCU’s School of Allied Health Professions is also in the midst of a fundraising challenge. It launched a three-year campaign in spring 2010 to endow an existing faculty position but recently shifted that mission to accept donations for others purposes, too.

The campaign has raised about $35,000 so far, said E. Ayn Welleford, Ph.D. (M.S. ’93; Ph.D. ’98), chair of VCU’s Department of Gerontology. Donors can give to the endowment fund or specify a cause such as underwriting a webinar or special event or creating a named scholarship, she said.

Every donation helps as the gerontology field prepares for a sharply increasing demand for workers. The first wave of baby boomers turned 65 in 2011, paving the way for a senior citizen population that will double over the next 20 years to more than 70 million.

– Contributed by Samieh Shalash and originally published in the spring 2013 VCU Allied Health Magazine To make a gift to the departments of Clinical Laboratory Sciences or Gerontology, contact Jessica F. Gurganus, assistant dean for development and external affairs, at (804) 828-3269 or jfgurganus@vcu.edu.

Photo Cynthia McMullen

Don and Gretchen Brophy (left) meet Nancy and Ron McFarlane for the first time, expressing gratitude for the McFarlanes’ generosity.

Pharmacy names first McFarlane Professor Donald F. Brophy, Pharm.D. (M.S. ’04), has been named the first Nancy and Ronald McFarlane Professor of Pharmacy in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy. Brophy currently serves as chairman of the school’s Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science and is a professor of pharmacy and medicine.

Nancy (B.S. ’80) and Ron McFarlane (B.S. ’80) established the professorship in 2008 in recognition of the education they received at the School of Pharmacy. They established their business, MedProRx Inc., in Raleigh, N.C., in 2002.

A specialty infusion pharmacy, MedProRx focuses on treatment for bleeding, autoimmune neuromuscular and rheumatologic disorders and other chronic conditions. Brophy’s primary research, which he has presented nationally and internationally, is in the areas of thrombosis, hemostasis and blood coagulation disorders in special populations.

“I appreciate that the school gave me a chance at a career in pharmacy,” Ron McFarlane said. “The dean of admissions at that time, Eugene White (B.S. ’56), probably took a calculated risk by admitting me in the first place. Nancy and I both appreciate the opportunities the School of Pharmacy afforded us. We’re excited and happy to help.”

Professors in the School of Pharmacy are accomplishing a lot in the realm of research, as well as educating future pharmacists, Ron McFarlane said. The two are not mutually exclusive, he noted. “It’s all about what research does in the community, how it helps shape the way health care is delivered in the community.”

Using the bench-to-bedside analogy, Ron McFarlane said the bottom line is community practice.

“If people ask why I care [about research], I would say that ultimately it is going to help my grandma better manage her blood pressure,” he said.

The McFarlanes hope to fund additional professorships and to encourage former classmates to consider the school in their planned giving. “Everyone can make an impact by giving back,” he said.

Outright gifts to the annual fund support current needs such as student scholarships, while planned gifts, such as bequests or insurance policies, can secure the future of the school.

“As state funding for higher education continues to decline, we as alumni can ensure that today’s pharmacy students are receiving the same high-quality experience that we did as students,” Ron McFarlane said. ✫ see Pharmacy, continued on Page 12 Summer 2013 | 11

Pharmacy school mourns loss of beloved professor The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy community was shocked and saddened to lose one of the school’s brightest lights when alumna and associate professor Amy Rudenko, Pharm.D. (Pharm.D. ’98; H.S. ’99), died May 25. She had been diagnosed with cancer just the week before.

“She was a conscientious student, and the faculty respected and liked her due to her genuine interest in every facet of the pharmacy curriculum and her positive personality traits,” said Tom Reinders, the school’s associAmy Rudenko, Pharm.D. ate dean for admissions and student services.

A memorial fund has been established in her memory.

The school will use the fund to make awards to select Pharm.D. students who have demonstrated leadership qualities.

“It was created to help keep Dr. Rudenko’s name and spirit alive into perpetuity,” said School of Pharmacy Dean Victor Yanchick, Ph.D. After earning her doctor of pharmacy degree in 1998, she was accepted into the community pharmacy practice residency program. Professor Jean-Venable “Kelly” Goode, Pharm.D. (B.S. ’89; Pharm.D. ’94), one of the residency program’s preceptors, believes the residency is what piqued her interest in academic pharmacy practice.

“She went to work at the University of North Carolina,” Goode said, “but then we had an opening [in 2001] that allowed her the opportunity to come home again. She was able to share her passion by mentoring other residents.”

Rudenko was honored during Reunion Weekend with the school’s 2013 Distinguished Pharmacy Alumnus Award. Rudenko, who received the School of Pharmacy’s Alumnus Service Award in 2008, began working with the MCV Alumni Association soon after graduating. She was a trustee-at-large and past vice president of the alumni association’s pharmacy division.

Donald F. Brophy, Pharm.D. (M.S. ’04), Rudenko’s department chairman, noted that losing a life force like Rudenko’s should inspire everyone to reflect on what’s important and how we all need to live our lives to the fullest.

“Amy was inspirational to me in that she never appeared to have a bad day,” he said. “She had such grace. She will be sorely missed by her family, friends, students and faculty colleagues.”

To donate to the Rudenko Memorial Fund, please send gifts to Amy Whitaker Rudenko Memorial Fund, VCU School of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 980581, Richmond, VA 232980581, or contact Ellen Carfagno, director of development, at emcarfagno@vcu.edu.

Pharmacy,

continued from Page 11

Professorships can honor or memorialize faculty, family or friends, said School of Pharmacy Dean Victor Yanchick, Ph.D. Among the areas that might be of interest to potential supporters, he said, are community pharmacy practice, geriatrics, infectious disease, cancer, pediatrics and pharmacogenetics.

Brophy, who originally joined the faculty in 1996, speaks highly of the McFarlanes, both professionally and personally.

“They have done extraordinarily well,” he said, “and they are very nice and awfully warm. I am very much honored by the professorship.”

To learn more about the School of Pharmacy, contact Ellen Leverich Carfagno, director of development, at (804) 828-3016 or emcarfagno@vcu.edu.

12 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

(From left) Cliff Cutchins, School of Engineering Foundation board president, Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D., dean, School of Engineering, Michael Rao, Ph.D., VCU president, and Beverly Warren, Ed.D., Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, attend the Senior Design Expo.

Businesses contribute funds, judges for event Eight teams of Virginia Commonwealth University students were named winners from a total of 67 competing teams in the School of Engineering’s Senior Design Expo this spring.

The 2013 expo, held at the Science Museum of Virginia, featured research and development projects, including road-adaptive headlights, a digitally controlled steam iron, an automated shower device for the elderly and disabled, a detection and location device for underground tritium leaks and an energy-saving ice rink temperature control system.

The event brought together senior engineering students and their faculty advisers with judges from business and industry, including representatives from Amazon, DuPont Teijin Films, Evonik Goldschmidt, Flexicell, Honeywell, GE Cybersecurity, Micron Technology, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative and United Equipment Corporation. Some of these companies and others also provided grant funds, equipment and industry advisers to assist the student teams.

“We do projects with VCU and have engineering students who work with us. We also have staff members who come to VCU for graduate work,” said Joseph W. Roos, Ph.D., an expo judge and technical director for technology development at Afton Chemical Corporation. “VCU’s engineering students are doing good work, and they’re enthusiastic. Their design projects are not just an assignment — the students get into them.”

The expo, co-sponsored by the Science Museum of Virginia, was attended by more than a thousand middle and high school students who received a firsthand view of how their education could lead to college-level engineering studies and future careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and health care fields, where demand for skilled employees is high.

The VCU students, working across the engineering school’s multiple programs, have spent their final undergraduate year conceptualizing, designing and testing projects aimed at improving human life and advancing technology and research. The projects, part of VCU’s engineering curriculum since 1999, are the capstone of students’ studies and a requirement for their graduation.

In recognizing students’ work and success, VCU Engineering Dean Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D., opened the awards ceremony to cheers and said, “I believe these teams represent all of us. I’ll see you at graduation.”

Summer 2013 | 13

Development team welcomes new members Katherine Dolvin (B.S. ’10) E-communications coordinator Office of Development and Alumni Relations (804) 828-3977 dolvinkr@vcu.edu Formerly: Development assistant, VCU Libraries

Judy Frederick Senior director of administration and finance VCU Alumni (804) 628-0394 jjfrederick@vcu.edu Formerly: Finance manager, VCU School of Engineering Foundation

Eleana Marie Legree (B.A. ’10) Development assistant School of Medicine (804) 828-3901 legreeem@vcu.edu Formerly: Development assistant, Easter Seals UCP

Ramin Mirshah, J.D. (B.A. ’01) Senior director, outreach and engagement VCU Alumni (804) 828-1671 rmirshah@vcu.edu Formerly: Executive director, business affairs, Digitas

James Parrish Director of foundation relations Office of Development and Alumni Relations (804) 827-4454 jtparrish@vcu.edu Formerly: Director of development, VCU School of Nursing

Michael J. Paulus Director, Ram Athletic Fund VCU Athletics (804) 828-3863 paulusmj@vcu.edu Formerly: Graduate assistant, VCU Athletics

Julia Ratliff (B.S. ’12) Development coordinator MCV Foundation (804) 628-1963 jbratliff@vcu.edu Formerly: Development assistant, VCU School of Nursing

14 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Nurse anesthesia invests inaugural professorship The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Allied Health Professions Department of Nurse Anesthesia invested Michael D. Fallacaro, DNS, CRNA, as the inaugural Herbert T. Watson Endowed Professor at an April ceremony at the Scott House.

Established to support distinguished educators and researchers in the field of nurse anesthesia by Herbert T. Watson, CRNA, professor emeritus and past chair of the VCU Department of Nurse Anesthesia, the professorship’s primary goal is to enhance education and continuing education in nurse anesthesiology through recruitment and retention of quality educators.

Herbert T. Watson, professor emeritus and past Fallacaro, chair of the VCU Department chair of the Department of Nurse Anesthesia, of Nurse Anesthesia since 1998, has dedicelebrates establishing the department’s first cated more than half of his 30-year career endowed professorship with daughters Karen Bowen (left) and Valerie Caldwell. as a certified registered nurse anesthetist to anesthesia research and education.

Watson also was recognized at the April 29 ceremony for his significant contributions to VCU and to the profession. His gift created the first individually endowed professorship in the department and the first of its kind in the nurse anesthesia specialty.

Pollak Society donors enjoy access, help school The Pollak Society, named for Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts founder Theresa Pollak, is the art school’s premier community support group. This group represents art collectors, art enthusiasts, VCU alumni and people from all professions and walks of life. The common thread is a desire to support the school with gifts of $1,000, Terrell Harrigan (left), Margaret Gottwald, Martha $2,500, $5,000 or $10,000 and a Newell and School of the Arts Dean Joe Seipel desire to be on the inside track at one gather with the Pollak Society. of the country’s best art schools.

The pooled support from Pollak Society members is used to fund art student scholarships, guest lecturers, travel, faculty research and special programs. These are all critical components that enable the school to keep its U.S. News & World Report ranking as the No. 1 public university graduate arts and design program in the nation.

Over the course of the academic year, Pollak Society members enjoy priority seating at School of the Arts performances, access to unique art collections in private homes, conversations with visiting artists and the opportunity to travel with Dean Joe Seipel to Art Basel Miami Beach.

To learn more about the Pollak Society, contact Julia Carr, executive director of development, at (804) 827-4676 or carrj@vcu.edu.

Summer 2013 | 15

Members of the VCU Foundation and schools of Business and Engineering foundations join VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. (third from right), for a men’s basketball pregame reception hosted by the MCV Foundation.

Foundation trustees gather for Rams basketball The MCV Foundation hosted its trustees and those of the VCU Foundation, the VCU School of Engineering Foundation and the VCU School of Business Foundation at a men’s basketball pregame reception in March at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. Nearly 100 guests enjoyed camaraderie and remarks from VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., who expressed gratitude for the groups’ leadership, as well as the work of the foundations. That evening the Rams went on to defeat the University of Richmond Spiders 93-82.

Generous bequest aids VCU Alumni’s mission Virginia Commonwealth University Alumni has received a generous bequest from the estate of Barbara Edwards.

Edwards, whose husband, Maynard O. Edwards (B.F.A. ’47), was a graduate of the School of the Arts, included VCU in her estate plan in 1991. The gift of about $484,000 was realized this summer.

“Generous investments in VCU, like the bequest from the Barbara Edwards estate, provide critical support for VCU Alumni’s mission,” said Gordon A. McDougall, associate vice president for university alumni relations and Life member of VCU Alumni.

VCU Alumni strives to provide a lifelong connection among alumni, students and the university. The membership-based organization also provides a multitude of benefits and services, such as special discounts, events, career services and scholarship opportunities.

“These contributions complement other revenue from membership dues and affinity partnerships,” McDougall said. “Together, these resources help us develop lasting relationships with alumni, students, parents and friends, by providing meaningful services, tangible benefits and engaging programs that inform, educate and inspire.”

To learn more about naming VCU in your estate plan, contact Tom Burke (B.S. ’79; M.P.A. ’95), executive director of the VCU Foundation, at (804) 828-3958 or tcburke @vcu.edu.

16 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Former students honor retiring math educator With more than 30 years of service to the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education, Ena Gross, Ph.D., mathematics education professor, retired in May. Before her retirement, Gross and her husband, Phil Olds, Ph.D., an accounting professor in the School of Business, established a scholarship to help support the students she taught for so many years: future K-12 math educators.

Since then, gifts from at least 70 former students, current and former faculty members, neighbors and friends have been received, bringing the total to more than $17,000 to endow the scholarship.

Ena Gross, Ph.D. “What was particularly heartwarming about this effort was the number of former students who contributed — many remarking on the impact and inspiration that Dr. Gross had on their lives,” said Magnus Johnsson (MP.A. ’10; Cert. ’10), executive director of external relations and development in the School of Education.

Among those students was William M. Rider (M.Ed. ’97).

“I had the great fortune of Ena’s guidance as I worked to become a math teacher.

Later, the fortune continued as I studied under both her guidance and that of Dr. John Van de Walle,” said Rider, who is now a math teacher at Collegiate School in Richmond, Va. “The gift I have made to the scholarship is an acknowledgement of our family’s deep appreciation for such fortune.”

The Ena Gross Scholarship in Secondary Mathematics Education will support students pursuing careers in secondary math education. The first award is anticipated to take place in 2014.

Research for Life Campaign exceeds $80 million Progress continues in Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center’s $100 million Research for Life Campaign. More than 80 percent of funds needed have been raised to support the people, programs and places that will help propel Massey to the prestigious “comprehensive” designation by the National Cancer Institute.

Recent notable gifts include: • A $1 million challenge grant commitment from the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation, which requires Massey to raise $2 million to meet the challenge and will support Massey’s facilities in the new James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Building • A $100,000 commitment from the Cecil R. and Edna S. Hopkins Family Foundation toward the existing Cecil R. and Edna S. Hopkins Family Foundation Cancer Research Fund • A $100,000 commitment from the Anne Carter Robins and Walter R. Robins, Jr. Foundation toward the existing Anne Carter Robins and Walter R. Robins, Jr. Foundation Clinical Trials Fund • A $100,000 commitment from Ann T. Beane to establish the Raymond Wilson Tolleson Cancer Research Fund for colon cancer research • A $150,000 bequest for Massey Cancer Center and the VCU School of Medicine from the estate of Anne Dobie Peebles, an emeritus advisory board member.

Goal: $100 million Funds raised: $80 million

Summer 2013 | 17

Development and alumni relations names new VP In June, Virginia Commonwealth University announced the appointment of Marti K.S. Heil as vice president for development and alumni relations, effective Sept. 15.

Heil, a nationally recognized leader in higher education fundraising, most recently was senior vice president for development at the Indiana University Foundation, where she directed all fundraising activities and capital campaigns.

VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., said Heil’s appointment follows a competitive, national search for the position that serves as chief advancement officer of VCU and the VCU Medical Center. He noted that Heil is the latest in a series of senior leadership hires from the country’s strongest Marti K.S. Heil research universities.

“This is a new era of fundraising at VCU,” Rao said. “As a nationally competitive university, VCU must secure adequate investment in outstanding faculty, student scholarships and programs, and facilities that inspire learning and innovation.”

Heil has the experience, energy and commitment to lead the development efforts necessary to support VCU’s strategic rise as one of the country’s top 50 public research universities, Rao said.

In previous positions, Heil directed several capital campaigns that each exceeded $1 billion goals. Under her leadership, Indiana University in 2010 was named first among public institutions of higher education for overall fundraising results.

“This is a critical time in the life of a vibrant university, and I am most excited about being afforded the opportunity to build upon the successes VCU has experienced and expand its fundraising efforts to achieve new levels of philanthropic accomplishments,” Heil said.

Before Indiana University, Heil served 29 years at Michigan State University, where she rose through the development ranks to be associate vice president and director of development, the university development’s chief operating officer. She was responsible for 35 separate fundraising programs across the university, directed a 175-member staff and managed a $14 million operating budget. Heil successfully codirected a $1.2 billion comprehensive capital campaign, more than doubling annual average giving totals. During her tenure, university giving increased by 142 percent.

Heil began her career with the Capital Area United Way in Lansing, Mich. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University.

Moonlight Magic brings in $75,000 for Massey Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center’s Massey Alliance hosted the 11th Annual Moonlight Magic presented by Hunton & Williams on June 8 at James River Cellars in Richmond, Va. With more than $75,000 raised at the sellout event, the fundraiser was an exciting culminating event for the Massey Alliance, the junior board of Massey Cancer Center, as it fulfilled the first year of its five-year, $500,000 pledge to the Research for Life Campaign. Since 2002, the Massey Alliance has donated more than $450,000 to cancer research at Massey.

“Funds raised at this year’s Moonlight Magic will be instrumental in achieving our annual goal of donating $100,000 to Massey,” said Procter L. Fishburne, president of Massey Alliance. “We are thrilled to continue elevating our support of the people, places and programs that will help defeat cancer here in Richmond and beyond.”

18 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

(From left) Sheldon M. Retchin, M.D., M.S.P.H., senior vice president for health sciences and CEO, VCU Health System, awards John C. Doswell II, D.D.S., former board of trustees chair, the Glass Half Full Award and celebrates with Michael Rao, Ph.D., VCU president, and William P. Kotti, Ph.D., president of the MCV Foundation.

MCV Foundation wraps up year on a high note The MCV Foundation convened its annual meeting May 13 at The Country Club of Virginia, welcoming Virginia Commonwealth University President Michael Rao, Ph.D., to report on the status of the university, and Joel Silverman, M.D. (H.S. ’73), to present capital expansion plans for the Virginia Treatment Center for Children.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the ceremonial gavel was passed from outgoing board of trustees Chair John C. Doswell II, D.D.S. (D.D.S. ’79), who served in that capacity since 2008, to incoming Chair Gail W. Johnson, RN (B.S .’67; M.S. ’76), CEO of Rainbow Station, who took the helm July 1.

Later, the group returned to the club for a dinner celebration.

Nancy F. Langston, retired dean of the VCU School of Nursing, was honored with the W. Robert Irby, M.D. Award for those who have provided philanthropic leadership on the MCV Campus. Corinne F. Dorsey (Dipl. ’54; B.S. ’65) received the Michael B. Dowdy Award for her fundraising efforts in support of the School of Nursing. Doswell received both the Dr. Eugene P. Trani Campus Leadership Award and a new award created in honor of his eternal optimism, the Glass Half Full Award.

Psychology gets $2.4 million grant to study ADHD The Institute of Education Sciences awarded a $2.4 million grant to Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Psychology in the College of Humanities and Sciences to examine the “Efficacy of an Organizational Skills Intervention for Middle School Students with ADHD.” The four-year grant will be used to compare two different types of school-based interventions for improving the academic performance of middle school-age students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, said principal investigator Joshua M. Langberg, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at VCU. “A primary goal of the project is to determine not only what works better — teaching organization and time-management skills or helping students stay focused when they complete work — but also, can we identify characteristics of students with ADHD that can be used to predict which approach will work best? This will allow schools to use resources more efficiently,” Langberg said.

Langberg co-founded VCU’s Center for ADHD Research, Education, and Service, which provides needed evidence-based ADHD services to the Richmond, Va., area.

Summer 2013 | 19

an equal opportunity/affirmative action university

A VCU University Relations publication

Scott House 909 West Franklin Street P.O. Box 842039 Richmond, Virginia 23284-2039

Virginia Commonwealth University Office of Development and Alumni Relations

130528-01

Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 869 Richmond, Virginia