Philanthropy Spring 2017

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INSIDE: Welch Foundation grant funds chemical research; plus an endowed scholarship supports students from Fort Bend County.

philanthropy U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A R Y H A R D I N - B AY L O R

welcome Mary Hardin-Baylor is certainly proud to be a “teaching university,” where classroom distinction and personal attention are priorities of faculty and administrators.

It takes special faculty to commit wholeheartedly to planting the seeds students need, not only to grow into professionals and scholars, but also to find fulfillment in life and work.

But our “teaching university" identity doesn’t mean our faculty members ignore research, especially when it comes to teaching students how to perform effective research, whether the subject be history or chemistry.

In this issue, you will read about how a generous grant from The Welch Foundation is helping the UMHB Chemistry Department continue to teach proper research. Through the purchase of additional equipment, faculty members are able to foster more student-driven discoveries in chemical research. Today’s students want to perform research, and we are proud that they are able to do that at Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Randy O’Rear President

ON THE COVER: Shailey Hearn is one of the students receiving Welch grant funds. Photo by Randy Yandell

Philanthropy is published three times a year by the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Division of Communications and Special Projects.

For more information about giving to UMHB, please contact the Office of Development at 254-295-4601.

Sigma Pi Chemistry Club gives back to the community Each semester, students in the UMHB Sigma Pi Chemistry Club participate in the Adopt A Highway clean-up program by collecting trash and debris along a portion of Highway 93 in Belton. The club is an official student chapter of the American Chemical Society, the largest scientific society in the world.

Sigma Pi is one of numerous student organizations at UMHB. Even though its chemistry focus is academic in nature, the organization is also concerned with improving the environment and giving back to the community. Other service activities include Demos in the Dark, Women in Science Extravaganza, and Earth Day events.

THE UMHB CAMPUS COMMUNITY HAS

60 STU DE NT ORGAN IZATION S.

The groups fall into 7 categories: SPECIAL INTEREST

To name a few: Art Club, Campus Activities Board, College Republicans, Cru Films, Cru Riding Association, ROTC Club, and Spanish Club

HONOR

To name a few: Alpha Chi, Beta Beta Beta, English Club, Gamma Beta Phi, and Kappa Kappa Psi

AC A DE M IC

To name a few: American Marketing Association, Collegiate Texas Music Educators, Nursing Students' Association, Sigma Pi Chemistry Club, and Pre-Health Professionals

COMMUNITY

To name a few: ASTRA, Cru for Life, Lion's Club, and Student United Way

Fall Commencement recognizes students The UMHB fall Commencement was held on Friday, December 9, 2016, in the Bell County Expo. This was the university’s 160th graduating class, and 502 students were awarded degrees.

Student awards given during the ceremony included the Provost Medal for highest overall GPA, which was split between seven students who each graduated with perfect 4.0 grade point averages: Allyson Baker of Fort Worth, Marina Hanshaw of Killeen, Emily McGee of Cypress, Edgar Ortiz of Belton, Christina Sawyer of Nolanville, Kayla Shepherd of Temple, and Josh Wesselius of Belton.

The Loyalty Cup, which is awarded to students who are most representative of the ideals, traditions, and spirit of the university, was given to Taylor McClintock and Andria Ramirez. The President’s Award for meritorious service went to Julia Brown.

RELIGIOUS

To name a few: Cru Catholics and Nurses Christian Fellowship

LEADERSHIP

To name a few: Student Foundation, Student Government Association, and University Ambassadors

AT H L ET IC • S PI R I T

To name a few: UMHB Disc Golf and UMHB Table Tennis

President O’Rear presents Julia Brown with the meritorious service award. Photo by Randy Yandell

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planting the seeds of

research

NEW GRANT FUNDS CHEMICAL RESEARCH FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS When freshman Shailey Hearn enrolled at UMHB, she had her sights set on being a chemistry major. She knew her time attending chemistry lectures was just beginning, but she never dreamed that in her first year as an undergraduate, she would have the opportunity to perform cutting-edge chemical research using stateof-the-art equipment. Thanks to a $60,000 Welch Foundation grant that makes new equipment purchases and additional scholarships possible, this is the kind of education UMHB chemistry students like Hearn can expect to receive.

Based in Houston, Texas, The Welch Foundation is unique, not only because it is one of the nation’s largest private funding sources for basic chemical research, but also because the foundation is committed to funding chemistry research in Texas specifically. The foundation describes itself as “a legacy to the world from Robert Alonzo Welch, a self-made man with a strong sense of responsibility to humankind, an enthusiastic respect for chemistry, and a deep love for his adopted state of Texas.”

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The UMHB Chemistry Department is a part of Mr. Welch’s vision for chemical research. "This is a great benefit for our students," said Dr. Ruth Ann Murphy, Chemistry Department Chair and UMHB Welch Foundation grant administrator. “This grant provides additional opportunities for our students to become outstanding chemists." An autoclave, a device that heats substances above their boiling points, and a 3D printer, which creates three-dimensional objects by depositing layers, are among recent major departmental purchases.

Chemical research students might use this equipment for various reasons. The 3D printer, for example, could provide students the opportunity to create their own models of molecules, and the autoclave might enable them to sterilize equipment and avoid contamination during experiments. Faculty members know students will encounter these instruments in the field, and by acquainting them with the technology now, the Chemistry Department is providing first rate training at the undergraduate level.

Savannah Robinson, Shailey Hearn, and Brandi Jefferson demonstrate the use of a 3D printer. Photo by Randy Yandell PHILANTHROPY | SPRING 2017

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The Welch funding is fostering recruitment efforts, as well. “As a Texas school, we compete with some of the bigger programs, like The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University, and we want good students to choose us,” said Murphy. “The big schools typically have bigger budgets for equipment and research. This grant has made us more attractive to students because we have been able to purchase more of the equipment they need to get the proper training.”

Murphy says new research possibilities at UMHB are a boon to the program. “Students want to do research, and they find they can do that here,” Murphy said.

Students who qualify for and enroll in the Chemical

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Research course receive Welch Foundation scholarships and the opportunity to learn how to use the equipment, even if their individual research projects do not require it. One of these students is Brandi Jefferson, an upperlevel organic chemistry student, who is investigating a project directed by Dr. Paul Primrose that involves the synthesis of a new host molecule. This new host molecule can be likened to a sponge: when mixed with certain other compounds, it may possibly draw up liquids and hold it in gaps between each host molecule. Hearn, a first-year general chemistry student, was chosen to assist with the study.

This spring, one of Murphy’s research students

“I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO THE WELCH FOUNDATION FOR SO GENEROUSLY FUNDING OUR CHEMICAL RESEARCH AND FOR MAKING MORE OF THESE EXPERIENCES POSSIBLE FOR OUR STUDENTS.” — Dr. Ruth Ann Murphy

launched the “Chemistry of Cosmetics Research Project.”

Savannah Robinson, a senior, is studying dimethicone—a common additive to cosmetics—using viscoelastic methods at controlled temperatures. Murphy says dimethicone is currently a source of environmental concern, and there are questions as to the actual efficacy of its presence as an emollient in skin creams and other cosmetic products. Robinson suggested the project because she hopes to use her chemistry knowledge after graduation to study cosmetics.

The Welch Foundation grant is playing a significant role in motivating students to pursue further chemical research at UMHB. "Although chemistry majors are only

required to take one credit hour of chemical research, many of our students find they enjoy it so much that they take additional hours of research," said Murphy.

"The chemistry faculty is providing expert direction for our students, and the administration's support of our research has been a key to its success. I am very grateful to The Welch Foundation for so generously funding our chemical research and for making more of these experiences possible for our students."

Opposite page, left to right: Savannah Robinson is enrolled in the Chemical Research course to study dimethicone in cosmetics. Brandi Jefferson and Shailey Hearn stand beside the lab’s new autoclave. This page: Dr. Ruth Ann Murphy serves as the administrator for the Welch grant.

Photos by Randy Yandell

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Senior nursing student Courtney Durgens is the recipient of the Mrs. Joe A. Wessendorff Endowed Scholarship.

Photo by Randy Yandell

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planting the seeds of

knowledge

FROM A SMALL SEED A MIGHTY TRUNK MAY GROW — AESCHYLUS Some things are worth the wait. In the 1970s, the estate of Mrs. Jane Johnson Wessendorff contributed $5000 to establish a scholarship for UMHB students in need. Over time, it accumulated modest amounts of money, but in 2016, the Henderson-Wessendorff Foundation, located in Richmond, Texas, decided to increase the scholarship to $100,000 and convert it to an endowed scholarship. The Mrs. Joe A. Wessendorff Endowed Scholarship is designed to support students from Fort Bend County specifically, and its current recipient is senior Courtney Durgens.

The story of this endowed scholarship began over fifty years ago, when in 1960, Mrs. Wessendorff was honored at a UMHB Convocation ceremony for her participation in civic, cultural, and church affairs at the community, state, and national levels. She was awarded an honorary doctor of literature degree for her contributions to the field of education. During the ceremony, she was lauded for being the first woman member of the State Board of

Education, as well as a member of the White House Conference on Children and Youth in 1950 and 1960. Upon her passing, many years later, her estate gift planted a seed for the scholarship enjoyed by Durgens today.

Since Wessendorff was from Richmond, Texas, in Fort Bend County, the scholarship, now at the endowed level, supports students from that area who choose to attend UMHB. A student in the nursing program, Durgens plans to graduate this spring of 2017. In addition to her studies, she is captain of the UMHB Sader Belles dance team, a student nurse technician at the Temple Veterans Administration, and a student worker on campus. “I am so thankful to have been chosen as a recipient of the Mrs. Joe A. Wessendorff Endowed Scholarship,” said Durgens. “Words cannot describe how grateful I am to receive this, and my family and I are abundantly thankful."

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planting the seeds of

service

Service learning is an important part of a UMHB education, and students are always looking for ways to serve the local community. In 2012, the community-service organization Altrusa International established a new way for students to connect with community needs, by sponsoring a new ASTRA service club on campus. The club is in its fifth year, and Traci Squarcette serves as the organization’s advisor.

“ASTRA of UMHB has really taken off,” said Squarcette. “We were finding that students wanted to volunteer and serve, but they didn’t know how to start or where to go. So we teach them. First, we have them shadow us in our own service projects, so they can learn the process. Then, we guide them to start their own projects. We teach them to fundraise and organize volunteers; they learn the process from start to finish.”

The UMHB ASTRA chapter has around 30 core members, and they engage in numerous service projects throughout the year. “One of our signature projects is Helping Hands,” said Squarcette. “Since area school-age children

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do not receive school meals during spring break, we package 5000 breakfast packs for 1000 kids to eat during each of the five days of the break. This is such a big project for us that we complete it by gathering together with the ASTRA clubs at Belton and Salado high schools.”

Squarcette says this combined effort is beneficial on multiple levels. Not only do they need the help of all three clubs to complete the project, but also, by collaborating with local schools, the UMHB students receive valuable mentoring experience with high-school students.

In addition to community-service activities, Altrusa International of Temple is concerned with education.

In 2017, through their recent fundraising efforts at the annual “Taste of the Holidays” event, they will award $18,000 in scholarships throughout Bell County. The ASTRA chapters, including UMHB, will also award a separate scholarship of $1500 to an ASTRA student. “These scholarships and service projects are important,” said Squarcette. “They provide opportunities for these students to make a difference in our community in a big way.”

The current ASTRA UMHB officers and sponsor are (back row, left to right) Michael Castro, Vice-President; Taylor Thedford, Secretary; Brandon Kemp, Chaplain; (front row, left to right) Traci Squarcette, Sponsor; Annie Leon, Historian; Sarah Moshier, Treasurer; Ashton Moore, President.

Photo by Randy Yandell

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900 College Street • Belton, Texas 76513

Opening Fall 2017: a performing arts center with innovative, multi-functional spaces for musical performances and theatrical productions.

There is still time to be part of the momentum!

Go to umhb.edu/momentum for details or contact Rebecca O’Banion at robanion@umhb.edu University of Mary Hardin-Baylor · UMHB Box 8409 · 900 College Street · Belton, Texas 76513