“I am an educator, and to have an opportunity to go out and play at schools and to work with the kids makes me a better teacher as well,” Alexander said. “This program has enriched my learning experience at the University of Kansas in terms of opportunities that you don’t necessarily get in the classroom.” Zakoura is a partner in Smithyman & Zakoura Chartered, Overland Park, and his principal area of practice is energy law. Zakoura has established two nonprofit foundations, Reach Out Kansas and the Zakoura Family Foundation.
Gift: $400,000 Why I Give: “The reason I’ve chosen to support the School of Music is that through statewide performances and outreach programs, the School of Music becomes the face of the University of Kansas; it has both a personal and human presence in the lives of the people of the state of Kansas and brings them great joy.” — James Zakoura James Zakoura
Psychological support The estate of Jack Brehm Jack Brehm strongly supported basic research during his career at KU as a professor of social psychology. His bequest to KU Endowment for the Department of Psychology will continue that support far into the future. Brehm taught psychology full time at KU from 1975 to 1997 and continued as professor emeritus until he died last year. His $2.2 million gift is the largest ever made to the department. The gift establishes the Jack W. Brehm Social Psychology Enrichment Fund, which primarily will support graduate and faculty research. “Jack loved KU,” said Dr. Sharon Stephens Brehm, executor of Jack Brehm’s estate and his former wife. “He was very comfortable at KU, and he fit right in. He was fortunate to work with wonderful colleagues in the psychology department, particularly in the social psychology program.” His colleagues remember him in much the same way. “Jack was one of the anchors of our program for years,” said Chris Crandall, professor of social psychology. “He was a very
loyal person — loyal to his friends, loyal to KU. We loved having Jack as our colleague.” One of Brehm’s major contributions to the field was development of the theory of psychological reactance. Often summarized as “reverse psychology,” the theory explains the psychological process that drives people to resist limits on their choices or threats to their freedom. — Jessica Sain-Baird
Jack Brehm
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