We used to say that it was one of Graceland's best kept secrets...that is until our Students in Free Enterprise Team just kept winning and winning and winning. Looking back on April in this Development Office Newsletter...SIFE does it again! The largest team ever at GU...some 86 students...is headed to Nationals at the end of this month after winning the regional championship in Dallas, Texas. This marks the sixth time in seven years that we've been that good. Nationwide there are approximately 1,400 SIFE teams and over the past decade Graceland has been among the very best. President John Menzies says, "SIFE is one of the flagships of greatness leading the way for Graceland." You can get the whole story by reading the news in the University's web page or the SIFE Website (www.graceland.edu/sife/).
That's a tough act to follow...unless you tinker around as a member of Graceland's computer science and information technology team. Who says building robots is child's play anyway. Get this...18 technology students...stole most of the show at the Midwest Instruction and Computing Symposium staged this year in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Major congratulations go out to Dritan Zhuja and Megan Fryer and their heavyweight robot aptly named MegaNuke. The combination of wheels, motors, and legos mauled its way to 1st place! This marks the third year in a row that GU has maneuvered to the top prize. The kudos don't stop there because Graceland's lightweight entry, RoboTux, nailed down 2nd place honors. The proud creators, Jimmy Christofis and Brian Fonseca, are already pre-designing for next year. Expenses for this trip and components for the robots were funded by the Ackerley Computer Science and Technology Scholars Program at Graceland. You can read the GU News and also enjoy pictures by clicking on the Ackerley Scholars Website (csit.graceland.edu/ackerely).
First rate...would be the best way to describe our Theatre Department's April production of Hole In The Sky. Tears flowed inside The Shaw Center as we watched the Midwest premiere of this new play about the horrible events of September 11, 2001, inside the North tower of the once great World Trade Center. The cast of 13 students, (including five internationals), two theatre professors and five community members, was supported by an awesome set and brilliant lighting. Graceland's Theatre Department Coordinator Rebecca Foster actually attended college with Hole In The Sky playwright Reed McColm.
The Entrepreneurial Roundtable was another smashing success on the Lamoni campus. Heading up the stellar list of guest presenters was Joel Ross, a 1979 Graceland grad and President of Universal Electric Corporation in Pittsburgh. Joel's daughter Jessamyn is a chemistry student here on "the Hill." Another star at the Roundtable was Cynthia McClain, a take-charge lady who has opened nine new businesses on Independence Square since 1998. Cynthia is married to Graceland Board of Trustee member Ken McClain. Of their six children one is a GU grad while two more currently attend. Also front and center for the future movers and shakers of the world was Coral Johnson from Clive, Iowa. Coral hails from the Graceland class of 1978 and is one of the top agents in Iowa with Prudential Financial Services. His wife, Kim, is the daughter of long-time Graceland faculty members Jerry and the late Helen Hampton. The Johnsons will be able to boast about three GU graduates when all is said and done. This year's Roundtable guests went home in stitches after listening to James Cunningham's award winning "Fun-ancial" seminar, "Funny Money." Cunningham is one of the most popular comedians/speakers in North America. He presented essential skills, tips about earning, spending and saving money.
From the Yellowjacket Sports Beat...nice job!...to Jerry Hampton's Men's Varsity Tennis team. They have won yet another NAIA Region V title and now have their tickets punched for the Nationals in Mobile. This marks the 17th time the program has qualified for the "biggie."
What more needs to be said about Graceland's annual Hawaiian Club sponsored Luau other than it was another spectacular success. What a shocker...pork...the favorite dish offered during the production. You really need to gobble up some of the photos snapped at the gala event by clicking on the above link. The "Fire and Ice" dance routine brought down the house...as always.
The Development Office staff is very proud of the brand new DVD presentation highlighting the Science and Technology Center Project. You can visit the Graceland SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER web page to get the very latest on our progress. And if you would like a free copy of the spiffy brochure and DVD story all you have to do is call 800-645-3582 and ask for anybody in the office. Dare I say, "Operators are standing by ready to take your call." Better yet, why not just hit "reply" to this newsletter and ask us right now for a full packet to be shipped free of charge to your home.
And now...the moment you've all been waiting for...our Planned Giving Tip of the Month. Each person and family has specific reasons and objectives in making a gift to Graceland. With careful planning, you can develop a gift strategy that is right for you. Gifts through a Life Insurance Policy or Retirement Plan provide ways to control your assets for life and still make a future gift when you no longer need the money. Perhaps you're looking for a strategy that provides you an immediate income tax deduction, or allows you to deduct the annual premiums. To learn more about this planning strategy and how you could benefit, go to Gift Planning and Gift Planning Articles or contact our Director of Development, Todd Sturgis at tsturgis@graceland.edu.
Ok...now the really fun part...as we wrap up what has to be an award-winning Development Office newsletter. As the hymn goes..."Thank you for all the many blessings. Thank you for all things big and small." In this month's Investor Spotlight we salute some of those who have taken full advantage of their employer matching gift programs. Cherry and Kelly Hartnett of Pennsylvania have gifted $15,000 to GU and Verizon will chip in $15,250 to the Students in Humanitarian Service Endowment. Bill and Goldia Mustain from Louisiana have given $5,000 annually to the Edith Thorpe Endowed Scholarship with Procter & Gamble matching 2-1 bringing the total gift amount to $15,000. Kirt and Cheryl DeHaan of Missouri have set up the DeHaan Family SIFE Scholarship Endowment by gifting $5,000 while Bank of America matched with another $5K. So you're wondering "will my company match a charitable gift?" You can find out right now by going to Make a Gift Today and clicking on MATCHING GIFT SEARCH.
It's always tough saying goodbye to a member of the Graceland family. We did that April 15 with the passing of former Professor and long-time Lamoni resident Sherman Sheppard. "Sherm" touched many lives over his years in the classroom. He was never shy about letting the pastor know when the audio system wasn't turned up loud enough at the downtown Community of Christ Sunday services. Sherman Sheppard...a great man!
Wow...that's a lot of stuff! See you next month...GO GRACELAND!!!
