Summer 2014 | Philanthropy

INSIDE: Plans unveiled for performing arts center

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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

SU MMER 2 0 14

welcome Summer is usually a quiet time on the UMHB campus,

with a majority of the students taking a break at home or working at summer jobs. This year, however, there was a steady hum of activity throughout June and July. Flocks of incoming freshmen could be seen each week with parents in tow as they came to the campus to enroll for fall courses.

Physical Plant employees buzzed in and out of the College View apartment complex to renovate a block of apartments so 150 students could move into them in August. The Event Services crew moved staff furniture and files into the new Bawcom Student Union and out of the older Mabee Student Center, so renovations to Mabee could get underway.

All of these activities could be traced back to one word: growth. As the number of students attending UMHB continues to climb, the university is responding with more student housing, an increasing number of scholarships, and new facilities to foster student learning and involvement in campus life.

UMHB is meeting the challenges of growth because alumni and friends of the university are generously supporting these efforts through gifts for scholarships and capital projects.

With the help of donors who share our commitment to Christian higher education, great things are happening at UMHB. Read on to learn how gifts are changing lives and expanding opportunities!

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

To share your comments, you may write to the editor at UMHB Box 8431, 900 College Street, Belton, Texas 76513; send emails to cdonahue@umhb.edu, or phone (254) 295-4164.

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

A new look for Mabee

This fall construction fencing will block entrances to the Mabee Student Center as crews transform it from an outdated student union to an attractive student support center. With the campus store and student life staff offices moved to the new Bawcom Student Union, the building will be refitted to house a cluster of support services.

Longtime tenants like Career Services and Counseling, Testing, and Health Services will be joined by newcomers like the Writing Center and International Student Services.

On the first floor, the center will house the campus police, a post office, a copy center, and a station for coffee, sandwiches, and snacks; on the second floor, the Center for Academic Excellence will offer expansive areas for group study sessions and individual tutoring.

The $5.7 million project will place all of these services just steps away from dormitories on the Quad, to provide easy access for the students most likely to need them—the freshmen. Plans call for the renovations to be complete by the end of the 2014-15 school year.

ON MAY 10, 2014

men and women GRADUATED from at the first commencement ceremony ever held at

CRUSADER STADIUM. 341 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES WERE 43 MAJORS TO THE APPLAUSE

AWARDED IN

OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

In an exit survey,

89%

of those earning under graduate degrees said

that UMHB prepared

them to understand and apply the code of ethics for their profession.

Million-dollar scholarship created to assist nursing students In May the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor announced the creation of an endowed scholarship that will provide full tuition for two nursing students at UMHB each year.

The Loye White Bray Endowed Scholarship was established through a $1 million gift from a donor who asked to remain anonymous. The scholarship is designed to provide significant financial assistance each year to two nursing students with demonstrated financial need, to help them complete a degree program that they otherwise could not afford.

“This is a gift that will truly change lives, not only those of the students who receive the scholarship but also those of the many people they will care for throughout their careers,” said Dr. Randy O’Rear, university president. “Our nursing graduates learn the technical skills needed in their profession, but they also learn to be compassionate caretakers who are attuned to the physical, mental, and spiritual needs of their patients. This generous donor’s gift will give deserving students the helping hand they need to complete their studies and dedicate their lives to helping others.”

A majority of the undergrads reported

that they had already found a job or been accepted into graduate studies.

THE BIGGEST SMILES CROSSING THE STAGE WERE WORN BY GRADUATES OF THE

NURSING

PROGRAM, WHOSE STARTING SALARIES WILL AVERAGE

$48,200 AFTER GRADUATION.

Getting it right In “Difference Makers” [Philanthropy, Spring 2014] it was stated that Dr. George Walther was hired in 1985 as the first dean of business at UMHB. Though this is correct, it should also be noted that Dr. Robert Whitis was chairman of the Department of Business when it was elevated to the status of a school on June 1, 1979. Dr. Whitis served as the interim dean of the School of Business until 1984, guiding it through important years of transition. Thanks to Betty Sue Beebe ’61, who spotted this omission!

PHILANTHROPY | SUMMER 2014

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rising star

t

CENTER TO SHINE A BRIGHT NEW LIGHT ON PERFORMING ARTS AT UMHB

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR HAS A RISING star on the horizon—and it promises to be spectacular. This spring administrators approved architects’ plans for a 39,300-squarefoot performing arts center, to be built near the entrance of the campus at the corner of Main Street and MLK Jr. Avenue (formerly 9th Avenue).

And what a star turn it will be! More than just a pretty face, the center will combine beautiful finishes with state-of-the-art technology to provide audiences with an unparalleled live theater experience. The ingenious design of the center also employs many multifunctional rooms which will allow the center to be used as a teaching facility throughout the week as well as a venue for performances.

“All too often, performance halls at universities sit unused for much of the time between performances,” notes UMHB’s senior vice president for campus planning and facility services, Edd Martin. “It takes a serious investment to construct a performing arts center, so we do not want this structure to be one that is only utilized on the evenings of concerts or shows. We want it to be a busy academic center that pulses with life every day of the week, which also offers the facilities needed to stage great performances.”

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Plans call for the center to include:

A 546-seat theater with proscenium stage, fly space, and orchestra pit

A 2,000-square-foot performance lab which can be used as a black box theater, a classroom, a venue for small-scale productions and recitals, or a room for receptions or other social gatherings

A 2,000-square-foot practice room which can double as a classroom

A scene shop with 18-foot ceilings so scenery can be built and stored

A costume shop which can double as a classroom

Cast dressing rooms which can be reconfigured for classroom use

A box office with an outside walk-up window for selling tickets prior to performances

A spacious lobby area for patrons which can also be used for small recitals, dinners, or receptions

Opposite: architects’ renderings of how the center will appear when viewed from MLK Jr. Avenue (above) and from Main Street (below)

PHILANTHROPY | SUMMER 2014

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THE EXTERIOR FACADES OF THE CENTER HAVE BEEN designed to blend beautifully with the traditional architecture of the campus. The arched colonnade on the north side of the building mirrors the arches of Luther Memorial and Presser Hall, where UMHB’s fine arts programs have been housed for many years. The columns of the entrance loggia are styled after the columns of old Alma Reeves Chapel, which housed the college’s only assembly hall a century ago.

But the exterior combines those elements in new and exciting ways. Playing to its location at the front of the campus, the east side of the center includes a glass wall which allows passersby on Main Street to see activities taking place in the performance lab, day or night. Just as members of the surrounding communities are drawn into campus life when they attend musical and theatrical performances, the view into the performance lab is designed to give community members a “behind the scenes” glimpse of activities every time they drive or walk past the building.

The Campus Master Plan approved by UMHB trustees in 2011 called for a series of important new facilities to be added to the campus over the next five to seven years. Three years later, with the help of generous donors, the university has completed

construction of Cummins Field House, the Baugh Center for the Visual Arts, the Isabelle Rutherford Meyer Nursing Education Center, the J.W. Williams Service Center, Crusader Stadium, and the Bawcom Student Union. The new performing arts center is the only project needed to complete the Campus Master Plan; if sufficient funds can be secured through gifts and grants for the project, construction could begin in the summer of 2015.

With its innovative design and state-of-the-art theater, UMHB’s performing arts center is certain to become a destination point where fine arts lovers from the surrounding communities can come to enjoy choral programs and theatrical productions along with members of the campus community. It is a project whose time has come, says Ted Barnes, dean of visual and performing arts.

“The operas, concerts, and musical theater productions staged by our Department of Music are outstanding in every way,” says Barnes. “What we’ve lacked is an on-campus performance hall with the stage, seating, and acoustics needed for productions like these. This performing arts center will give us the chance to showcase the talents of our students and significantly enhance their studies. It’s time we let their lights shine!”

“We do not want this structure to be one that is only utilized on the evenings of concerts or shows. We want it to be a busy academic center that pulses with life every day of the week…” —Edd Martin To learn more about how you can support the construction of the new performing arts center through a personal gift, contact Brent Davison at the Development Office (254)-295-4601; BDavison@umhb.edu.

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PERFORMING ARTS CENTER NAMING OPPORTUNITIES Area

Amount

Name of Building

Lead Gift

Per Year for 5 Years*

Area

Amount

Per Year for 5 Years*

Orchestra Shell $100,000 $20,000

Entry Loggia Lead Gift

Instrument Storage

Lobby Lead Gift

Rehearsal Room $100,000 $20,000

Main Auditorium Lead Gift

Rehearsal Storage $10,000 $2,000

Main Stage Lead Gift

Balcony $250,000 $50,000

Performance Lab/Black Box Theater

Balcony Side Boxes, each (2)

Lead Gift

Awarded

$100,000

$20,000

Collonnade Lead Gift

Recording Studio $100,000 $20,000

Box Office Awarded

Dressing Rooms, each (2)

$50,000

$10,000

Front Office Awarded

Star Dressing Rooms, each (2)

$25,000

$5,000

Parterre Box - Center

$100,000

$20,000

Classroom $50,000 $10,000

Parterre Boxes - Side, each (2)

$75,000

$15,000

Catering Area $10,000 $2,000

Auditorium Side Boxes, each (2)

$100,000

$20,000

Control Room $50,000 $10,000

Costume Shop $100,000 $20,000 Scene Shop $100,000 $20,000

Outdoors

Black Box Control Room

Landscape trees, each (15)

Awarded

$5,000

$1,000

Black Box Storage $10,000 $2,000

Benches, each $10,000 $2,000

Front of House Storage

Entrance Terrace $250,000 $50,000

Awarded

Orchestra Pit $100,000 $20,000

*Gifts to the performing arts center may be made as a series of payments over a period of several years. All gifts totalling $2,500 or more will be recognized on a Donor Wall of Honor in the lobby of the center.

PHILANTHROPY | SUMMER 2014

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cream of the

S TO R Y B Y PAU L A P R I C E TA N N ER P H O T O S B Y R A N D Y YA N D E L L

crop

ALUMNI GIFTS TO THE LOYALTY FUND BRING OUTSTANDING YOUNG LEADERS TO UMHB

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COLLEGE RECRUITERS ACROSS THE NATION KNOW THAT students who adapt well to university life and succeed in their coursework are typically those who have earned strong grades in high school, have scored well on college entrance exams, and have taken a leadership role in extracurricular activities. Recruiters know that such students will not only be likely to do well in their studies but will also make the experience better for their fellow students by raising the bar in classroom discussions and applying their energies and talents to many aspects of campus life.

So it’s no surprise that universities compete for the interest of such students, and scholarships play an important role in their decision-making process. The alumni of UMHB help improve the odds for their alma mater when they give annually to the Loyalty Fund, because those gifts fund Loyalty Fund scholarships for hard-working young men and

women who demonstrate leadership in their communities, high schools, and churches.

Alumni gifts big and small are pooled to provide $5,000 annually for up to four years for the selected students. The recipients must live on campus and maintain a cumulative grade point of 2.5 or higher with a full-time course load, and they must assist the recruiting office in contacting and recruiting prospective students and helping with Preview Weekends in the fall and spring.

All recipients of the Loyalty Fund Leadership Scholarships meet these requirements, but their majors and interests are as varied as can be. Read on for snapshots of three current recipients, and you’ll see how Loyalty Fund gifts are helping deserving students prepare for lives of leadership and service both at home and abroad.

“I am so thankful for the scholarship, because this is a place I have been able to grow—not outward, but deeper.”

—Natalie Arauco, Loyalty Fund Scholarship recipient

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ATALIE ARAUCO

practically bubbles over as she talks about her summer trip to Guatemala.“This is the seventh time I’ve traveled there,” she says.“The first time I went to Guatemala was on a mission trip with my church.

I became friends with our translators, and we stayed in touch; on return trips I made more friends and became involved in teaching English to the people there.”

Now halfway through her degree program in K-8 Education, she plans to return to Guatemala to teach English as a second language when she graduates from UMHB. “I love the people I have met, and through Facebook I’ve made friends with people there who don’t speak English, which is helping me improve my Spanish,” she says with a grin.

Meanwhile she is working hard on her courses and to help pay for her college expenses. “My dad and mom both paid their own ways through college, so the expectation was always that my brothers and I would pay for our educations ourselves. If there had been no scholarship assistance, it would not have been possible for me to attend a private school like UMHB; I would have had to take a less expensive route at a community college or state school.

“I am so thankful for the scholarship, because this is a place I have been able to grow—not outward, but deeper.”

PHILANTHROPY | SUMMER 2014

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J

ACOB ASMUSSEN has finished his first

year at UMHB, working on a double major in piano performance and public relations, and his experience has clearly been a good one. “Every university has its catch phrases or slogans, but a lot of times they are just that,” he says. “At UMHB, when they say you will get an education for life and have the experience of a lifetime, it’s really true.”

A native of Austin, Jacob applied to a lot of different schools, and he’s candid when he says that originally UMHB was not at the top of his list.

“It wasn’t my primary choice because I didn’t know much about it,” he recalls.“But doors started opening here, and it seemed like the Lord was leading me in this direction. Dr. Michelle Schumann is a colleague of my high school piano teacher, and as I learned more about her, I knew she would be a great professor to guide my piano studies.

I needed scholarships to be able to attend, and scholarships were offered to me. I feel blessed, because every aspect of campus life has exceeded my expectations!”

As a freshman, Jacob put his musical talents to use playing keyboard for the UMHB Jazz Ensemble.

“One of the highlights of my year was traveling with the ensemble on a concert tour through the Midwest,” he says. “And next year will be even more exciting: in the spring the Jazz Ensemble is going to Shanghai for a ten-day concert tour. I have been learning Chinese since high school; now I’m looking forward to putting it to use!”

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ATALIE RUSS earned a name for

herself as a high school soccer player in Belton. Her desire to play at the collegiate level led her to take a serious look at UMHB. “Coach Barry Elkins [UMHB’s coach for women’s soccer] was my high school coach for two years and is a member of my church,” Natalie says. “When he left Belton High to come to UMHB, we stayed in contact, and he encouraged me to consider UMHB. I looked at a couple of other schools, but with the strong nursing program offered here, I was sold, and I committed to come play soccer for UMHB my junior year in high school.

Natalie will be a member of this fall’s freshman class, thanks to the help of the Loyalty Fund. “My parents own a furniture care business in Salado,” she says. “They told me they would work hard to make it possible for me to attend UMHB, but it was understood that I would have to work hard to qualify for scholarships, too. The financial aid I’ve received has been a big factor in my being able to come to school here.”

Visits to campus sealed the deal for Natalie.

“I plan to major in nursing, and when I saw the clinical labs and simulation centers in the new nursing building, I was really impressed,” she says.

“And the entire campus is very beautiful—which is especially important to someone like me who loves being outdoors. I can’t wait for the semester to begin!” n

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900 College Street • Belton, Texas 76513

New and returning UMHB students were the first to experience a new era in dining services with the opening of the Bawcom Student Union in August.