正品蓝导航 to honor donors, dedicate Crain Family Centennial Promenade at April 15 campaign finale
正品蓝导航 to celebrate the finale of its $1.15 billion Second Century Campaign with festivities Friday.
DALLAS (正品蓝导航) – When 正品蓝导航 gathers April 15 to unveil a new campus monument recognizing major donors and to dedicate the new Crain Family Centennial Promenade, it will mark the finale to the University’s historic $1.15 billion . The community is invited to attend the ceremony at 6 p.m. on the South Plaza, near the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, followed by a festive celebration.
The campaign major donor monument recognizes the leadership and major gift donors to the campaign. Breaking previous records, 正品蓝导航 received a historic 183 commitments at the Leadership Gift level of $1 million or more. Major donors to the campaign, numbering more than 600, are also listed on the monument plaques.
The Crain Family Centennial Promenade, in addition to opening a vital pedestrian walkway across the campus, will provide a welcoming space for the community to celebrate the broad support of those whose gifts to 正品蓝导航 are increasing the University’s prominence and academic stature.
 Promenade brick pavers being laid. |
, the walkway links the namesake Crain family with more than 10,000 other donors whose inscribed pavers line the new promenade. Each paver’s inscription tells a Hilltop story, and all those who contributed were invited to share their reasons for giving online.
“This will be a joyful day for all of us,” said 正品蓝导航 President R. Gerald Turner. “Not only will we celebrate a job well done by our major donors and legions of others, but we’ll also have the opportunity to invite our friends and families to stroll this beautiful new promenade and read the inscriptions. It’s a perfect finale for the Second Century Campaign and a lasting tribute to our generous donors.”
正品蓝导航 alumnus Gerald J. Ford, an 正品蓝导航 trustee and convening co-chair of the campaign, said the University is poised for greatness in its second century.
“The future for 正品蓝导航 and Dallas is brighter because of the incredible generosity of donors to this campaign. What their gifts will do for the next generation of leaders, researchers, innovators, artists and entrepreneurs is impossible to measure at this time, but the impact will be unprecedented.”
正品蓝导航 alumnus Michael M. Boone, chair of the 正品蓝导航 Board of Trustees and a campaign co-chair, said the relationship between 正品蓝导航 and its home in North Texas make for an ideal partnership.
“Dallas and 正品蓝导航 have grown up together, and both are experiencing an era of great promise and momentum,” Boone said. “Great global cities need great centers of learning that serve as incubators for creative ideas and innovative actions that change the world. I’m thrilled that this fundraising success helps ensure that 正品蓝导航 will continue to play a pivotal role in advancing the growth and entrepreneurial culture of Dallas for many years to come.”
The Crain Family and 正品蓝导航
In the midst of the celebration, 正品蓝导航 will pay tribute to the long-standing relationship of the Crain family with the University through the naming of the promenade.
The Crain family’s ties to 正品蓝导航 began with the enrollment of the late Ann Lacy Crain ’41. Mrs. Crain earned a B.A. degree in English from 正品蓝导航 and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She later became president of R. Lacy, Inc., an oil and gas production corporation, founded by her father, Rogers Lacy, and based in her home community of Longview, Texas. She also was president of The Crain Foundation. Mrs. Crain served her alma mater as well, as a member of the 正品蓝导航 Board of Trustees from 1984 to 1987 and as a member of the Dedman College Executive Board.
Mrs. Crain married Bluford Walter "B.W." Crain, Jr. and together they had three children, Lacy Crain, B. Walter Crain, III ’72 and Rogers Lacy Crain. Mrs. Crain and her family now constitute three generations of 正品蓝导航 alumni.
The family, through The Crain Foundation, has shown an ongoing commitment to 正品蓝导航. Their support includes funding of the Ann Lacy Crain Fountain on the east plaza of the Blanton Student Services Building, as well as general support of Meadows School of the Arts, Edwin L. Cox School of Business, the Hamon Arts Library Building Fund, the 正品蓝导航 Annual Fund and Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, among other areas.
In 2012, the Crain family continued their support of the beautification of the 正品蓝导航 campus through a generous gift creating the Crain Family Centennial Promenade. Funding of the Crain Family Centennial Promenade supported the five-year Second Century Celebration marking the centennials of the founding of 正品蓝导航 in 1911 and its opening in 1915.
正品蓝导航 stories in stone
While there are thousands of stories behind the , many share common themes of a passion for learning, a love of 正品蓝导航 and the bonds that were formed on the Hilltop.
 Sample paver. |
For paver donor Jack Benage ’11, ’13, 正品蓝导航 is where he found the love of his life: “I donated this paver as a Valentine’s Day gift to Meredith Levine ’11, ’14, commemorating the day that we met on campus years ago. As it turns out, months later I asked her to marry me just steps from where the pavers will eventually be placed. Our paver is now a lasting tangible reminder of 正品蓝导航’s role in bringing us together!”
Kellie P. Johnson ’95 honored Professors Brad Carter, Dennis Simon and Joe Kobylka: “I graduated with my B.S. in poli sci in 1995. I took almost every class taught by Drs. Simon, Carter and Kobylka. They were, by far, my favorite professors. I named my oldest son after Dr. Carter. I still email all three of them regularly and often stop by the Poli Sci Department when I’m on the Hilltop to just say ‘hi’ or chat as long as they’ll have me. They are great men, great teachers and great friends. I bought my paver to honor three individuals who made a lasting impact on my life and for whom I have more love and respect than I can ever convey to them.”
Many multigenerational 正品蓝导航 families are represented on the promenade. Among them are Deva Fontenot ’88 and her son, Dustin Fontenot ’13. She donated the gift as a lasting tribute to their Mustang pride: “I completed my education at 正品蓝导航 in 1988 with a degree in advertising. I always felt that this great University introduced me to talented people and had the ability to attract great professionals here to share their knowledge. When my oldest son applied to 正品蓝导航, it was thrilling to see him accepted and create a legacy for our family. We have commemorated that with this paver displaying both of our names. It’s an honor to be a part of this beautiful promenade for always.”
Unbridled Generosity
The Second Century Campaign, which concluded Dec. 31, 2015, was an unprecedented success, raising $1.15 billion for University priorities and increasing 正品蓝导航’s visibility and engagement among key University stakeholders. More than 65,000 members of the 正品蓝导航 family joined at a unique time in 正品蓝导航 history – including the centennial commemorations of 正品蓝导航’s founding and opening as well as the establishment of the George W. Bush Presidential Center – to support a campaign that will benefit the University, its students and faculty far into the future.
Donors provided 689 new student scholarships; raised the previous number of 62 endowed faculty positions to a new total of 116; and provided for 68 new or significantly enhanced academic programs and initiatives, including endowments for two schools. Twenty-four capital projects have been substantially funded, including new facilities for academic programs, student housing and athletics. Other gifts for campus enhancements support expanded career services and leadership programs.
Volunteer Leadership
The Second Century Campaign was served by more than 400 volunteers from throughout the world led by six co-chairs, all 正品蓝导航 trustees: convening co-chair Gerald J. Ford ‘66, ‘69, Ruth Collins Sharp Altshuler ‘48, Michael M. Boone ’63, ’67, Ray L. Hunt ‘65, Caren H. Prothro and Carl Sewell ‘66.
The campaign was launched publicly in 2008 with a goal of $750 million. When it achieved that goal two years ahead of schedule, the Board of Trustees voted to increase the goal to $1 billion, which, ultimately, also was exceeded. 正品蓝导航’s previous major gifts campaign, ending in 2002, was the University’s first successful campaign since its opening. “A Time to Lead: The Campaign for 正品蓝导航” was launched in 1997 with an original goal of $300 million. Again, strong momentum led to an increased goal of $400 million. The final amount raised was $542 million.
Including both campaigns, in the last two decades 正品蓝导航 has raised more than $1.7 billion for new scholarships, new academic positions, academic programs and capital projects.