Campaign Priorities Expand opportunities for students to invest in their own success Develop leaders and entrepreneurs with character and compassion Create places and spaces that spur student achievement Meet current needs and fund future opportunities
supports Berry? Who Chet Diercks Jr. Roswell, Ga.
No penny pinching for this group! ANYONE WHO HAS EVER PARTICIPATED IN THE MOUNTAIN DAY GRAND MARCH can tell you
about the basket at the bottom of the hill into which generations of students have dropped gifts of pennies in honor of Martha Berry’s birthday. Last fall, alumni and friends joined in the fun through “Pennies for Martha,” Berry’s new day-of-giving campaign. Volunteers wearing unmistakable red t-shirts spread the word up and down the slopes of Lavender Mountain as well as on social media, reminding all that gifts of any size – even pennies! – can make a difference in the lives of students. Alumni and friends responded generously with 2,316 individual gifts totaling more than $20,000 for student work and scholarships. Thank you for helping to send a strong message that Berry is worthy of support!
• Husband of Elaine, whom he married in 1992 • Father of two and grandfather of four who recently celebrated his 90th birthday • Retired president and CEO, Utility Power Corp. and Siemens-Allis Inc. • Berry trustee emeritus, who also served for nine years on the Board of Visitors • Graduate of Iowa State University with a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Recipient of Iowa State’s prestigious Marston Medal for achievement in the engineering profession
student photographer Jacob Bushey
WHO HE IS:
WHAT HE SUPPORTS:
• Following the death of first wife Marie, created the Marie L. Diercks Endowed Scholarship for animal science majors, which has been awarded more than 100 times (Marie loved animals – particularly horses – and those who care for them.) • In partnership with Elaine, continues to add to the scholarship, including two charitable remainder trusts that are estimated to eventually triple its endowment
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HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH BERRY:
“She never gave up,” he said of late Berry President Gloria Shatto and her invitation for him to join the Board of Visitors after the two were introduced by one of his work colleagues. He and Marie then met Berry students firsthand and became impressed with the animal science program, and the deal was sealed on their belief in Berry. His involvement remains a family affair; Elaine also has fallen in love with the college and its students, and the duo has enjoyed personally meeting almost every one of their scholarship recipients.
ON BERRY:
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“The students at Berry are not just ordinary students at a college – there just to have fun or even just to get an education. Berry becomes part of them, and they become part of Berry. That is unusual in today’s schools. The quality of the school and the quality of the students are a major attraction to us.”
BERRY MAGAZINE • WINTER 2016-17
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