Giving in Action

Full circle: The Farrands’ lifelong connection to CU Boulder

Megan Maneval — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:43:26 +0000

Full circle: The Farrands’ lifelong connection to CU Boulder Megan Maneval Tue, 12/10/2024 - 08:43

Dale and Kristen Farrand are making a lasting impact at CU Boulder through a planned gift in their will, demonstrating their commitment to philanthropy tied to their experiences at CU Boulder.

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It takes a village: School of Education, dedicated community celebrate new campus home

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 18:38:23 +0000

It takes a village: School of Education, dedicated community celebrate new campus home Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/23/2024 - 12:38

CU Boulder’s School of Education celebrated moving into its new home: the Ofelia Miramontes and Leonard Baca Education Building. The milestone was marked with a festive building dedication and community open house.

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Empower Colorado: Donate to the Colorado Combined Campaign

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 14:44:06 +0000

Empower Colorado: Donate to the Colorado Combined Campaign Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/07/2024 - 08:44

The Colorado Combined Campaign allows CU employees to easily support more than 360 nonprofit organizations with one-time or recurring payroll deductions. Donate today and help enhance the quality of life across Colorado.

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Newly donated Asian maps bring exciting scholarship opportunities to CU

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 16:18:19 +0000

Newly donated Asian maps bring exciting scholarship opportunities to CU Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/02/2024 - 10:18

The University Libraries received a donation of several historic Asian maps from map collector and CU Boulder alumnus Wes Brown. The new maps open up opportunities for researchers and scholars at the university and peer institutions across the world.

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$15M gift to transform real estate education and student wellness at CU Boulder

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 19:21:05 +0000

$15M gift to transform real estate education and student wellness at CU Boulder Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/12/2024 - 13:21

Katy Marquardt Hill

Students pursuing a career in real estate will soon see their learning opportunities sharply appreciated: On Thursday, CU Boulder announced a groundbreaking $15 million donation from CU Boulder alumnus Michael Klump to revolutionize the real estate center in the Leeds School of Business, as well as support essential student health and wellness programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Michael Klump

“This transformational gift highlights the power of philanthropy,” said CU Chancellor Justin Schwartz. “It will support students, faculty, staff and research activities across the vast and dynamic real estate field, driving innovation and enriching educational experiences on campus. Additionally, it will provide crucial support for wellness programs and student mental health.”

The investment will allocate $13 million to enhance the newly renamed Michael A. Klump Center for Real Estate—formerly known as the CU Real Estate Center. This portion of the gift, one of the largest ever given to a real estate center in the United States, will strengthen the center's academics, industry partnerships and career support in the years ahead.

The real estate center, led by Professor Christophe Spaenjers, who serves as faculty director, and Julie Gibson, who serves as the Sherman R. Miller Executive Director, is one of six centers of excellence in the Leeds School which work to help students translate, integrate and transfer classroom concepts into real-world insights. “This gift is pivotal for CU’s real estate program, providing significant resources that will advance the center’s leadership, enhance student programming and offer student financial assistance,” said Gibson. “The endowment component of this gift ensures that CU’s dedication to real estate education will continue for many generations to come.”

An additional $2 million will support programs in the College of Arts and Sciences that promote CU Boulder students' mental health and well-being. Through the Hellems Fund for Collective Belonging and the Hellems Fund for Fostering Success, this gift will contribute to mental health programming, resources and student support, and welcome programs and outreach initiatives for first-year and transfer students.

Promoting academic excellence and industry connections

Klump’s investment in the Leeds School will expand leading-edge programs with top real estate faculty and industry partnerships that prepare students to be experts in the dynamic real estate field. The donation represents a major advancement for the center, which was founded in 1997 by passionate alumni and industry leaders as a way to bolster future real estate professionals and promote important research within their field. Thirty years ago, the center supported 10–20 students per year; today it provides opportunities for nearly 450 students annually.

Professor Christophe Spaenjers, faculty director of the newly renamed Klump Center for Real Estate, speaks with graduate students in the Koelbel building after their Real Estate Finance and Investment class.

The $13 million donation to the center will endow three faculty positions in real estate finance at the chair and professorship levels. It will also create four funds to advance innovative academics, establish an endowed scholarship, enhance students’ career growth, and strengthen the center’s reputation within the business and alumni communities.

Klump’s significant contribution underscores the profound impact of community support on CU Boulder’s mission and the Leeds School of Business. “The gift will provide rich opportunities to CU Boulder students and contribute to Leeds’ legacy of excellence. Strong support from the real estate community has been a hallmark of our connection with industry,” said Vijay Khatri, the Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean at the Leeds School of Business.

A gift that fuels the future

With a successful real estate career spanning over 30 years, Klump is the founder and chairman of RCG Ventures, a leading commercial real estate investment firm. Additionally, he co-founded Equity Investment Group, a private real estate investment trust focused on neighborhood shopping centers and established Argonne Capital Group, a private investment firm specializing in companies within the restaurant, retail and service industries.

While a sophomore at CU Boulder, Klump got his real estate license and began selling houses on The Hill. He interned at a commercial shopping center development firm between his junior and senior years and found his niche.

“I owe a lot of my success to attending the University of Colorado, where I had the privilege of meeting inspiring individuals and forming lifelong connections across the country,” said Klump. “These experiences have deeply motivated me to give back and set an example. I hope my contribution to CU Boulder will inspire others to join in the spirit of generosity and make a meaningful impact.”

In addition to being a real estate entrepreneur, Klump is a steadfast philanthropist, generously supporting a diverse range of organizations over the years through the Klump Family Foundation. He said his commitment to giving back reflects a deep belief in the power of philanthropy to drive positive change.

“My hope is that this gift will provide students with broad exposure to the diverse opportunities within real estate, whether they choose to embark on a career immediately, pursue further education, or explore various facets of the industry,” Klump said. “The real estate world is vast and dynamic, with potential for local, regional, national and even international impact, and I am excited to support a program that will open doors and inspire future leaders in this field.”

Alumnus, philanthropist and real estate entrepreneur Michael Klump will enhance academic excellence, industry connections and student wellness through faculty, scholarship and programmatic support.

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Renovations prep Shakespeare fest for another 70 years

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 12:35:37 +0000

Renovations prep Shakespeare fest for another 70 years Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/26/2024 - 06:35

The Roe Green Theatre (formerly the University Theatre) and Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre are undergoing massive multi-million dollar renovations, preserving the Colorado Shakespeare Festival's legacy for a lifetime.

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Program bridges students to infrastructure workforce

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 18:49:43 +0000

Program bridges students to infrastructure workforce Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/15/2024 - 12:49

Kiewit Corporation has extended its design-build scholars program with the College of Engineering and Applied Science for an additional five years with a generous $2.5 million investment, demonstrating a sustained commitment to the success of students.

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Fortepiano refurb is a labor of love

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 14:13:32 +0000

Fortepiano refurb is a labor of love Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/02/2024 - 08:13

College of Music

Piano Technician Mark Mikkelsen—who has supported the care and maintenance of the College of Music’s fleet of 160 pianos, two harpsichords and an organ—was thrilled when the opportunity arose to rebuild, refurbish and restore one of two fortepianos donated to the college.

Piano Technician Mark Mikkelsen—who supports the care and maintenance of the College of Music’s fleet of 160 pianos, two harpsichords and an organ—used ingenuity to rebuild, refurbish and restore a donated fortepiano.

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Quantum Scholars program draws new sponsors from industry, alumni

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 19:07:03 +0000

Quantum Scholars program draws new sponsors from industry, alumni Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/24/2024 - 13:07

Up to 40 undergraduates will receive a $2,500 fellowship for participating in Quantum Scholars this year, thanks to generous support from new industry and alumni partners.

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Donor support puts Glenn Miller collections in the spotlight

Anonymous — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 16:18:56 +0000

Donor support puts Glenn Miller collections in the spotlight Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/23/2024 - 10:18

CU Boulder’s vast and historically valuable Glenn Miller collection is set to take the spotlight, thanks to a philanthropy-funded archiving project.

Clipping from the University of Colorado faculty and staff newspaper Silver & Gold Record advertising the 1984 commencement ceremony, where Glenn Miller was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree (posthumously). From Volume XIV, No. 33, printed May 17, 1984.

In 1923, Alton Glen “Glenn” Miller attended CU Boulder for three semesters before becoming one of the most successful big band musicians of the 20th century. The gift from a group of committed jazz supporters is allowing the University Libraries to hire an archivist to review the campus’s collection of materials associated with Miller’s work—a mostly untapped trove of information about the iconic artist.

“The personal papers, photographs, music and other ephemera of the legendary Glenn Miller shed light on the man behind the music and open an extensive new collection of research for all to study and enjoy,” said Kate Tallman, assistant professor and interim faculty director of the university’s Rare & Distinctive Collections (RaD) team (part of the University Libraries). Tallman’s team manages the collections as part of its American Music Research Center archival collections (AMRC).

Heartfelt gift for CU Boulder

The support for this massive archival effort stems from the generosity of Deanna and Brewster Waddell. Brewster graduated from CU Boulder in 1984.

“Glenn Miller was one of, if not the greatest big band leader of his time,” said Brewster.

“He wrote music for and played with the top band leaders of the day, like the Dorsey Brothers, Benny Goodman, Harry James and many more. Louis Armstrong carried his recording with him on the road! The realization that his music, notes, artifacts and instruments were in the basement of Norlin Library, hidden from the world, was elating to us. With our backing, we could bring to light many unknown works and personal aspects of Glenn Miller and add to his lore. We had to do it!”

Brewster continued: “As CU Boulder has a very well respected College of Music, we thought we’d like to sponsor a jazz program that would bring visibility to CU.”

The Glenn Miller collection is currently stored in the University Librarie's archives.

This unique donation impacts CU Boulder’s College of Music and University Libraries, as it will support arranging, describing and making the physical collections accessible—along with digitizing a limited number of selected materials from the collections. It’s a rare opportunity to participate in preserving an important period of American history that has yet to be preserved and digitized.

Noted Tallman, “Music is inherently transient. It is written, performed and recorded at a specific point in time, and no recording can capture the sentiment, environment or cultural context in which that sound is released into the world.

“This is why archives like ours at CU Boulder feel like a moral imperative to preserve the material culture behind society’s great musicians.”

Discovering and preserving history

The Glenn Miller collections fill an estimated 1,400 boxes safely secured in the University Libraries’ archives.

However, the majority of the contents haven’t been fully accessible for research use due to the sheer volume of items.

The donor-funded project archivist at RaD will assemble, catalog, preserve and manage what is known as a major collection of big band and swing music memorabilia and research materials. A national search for the position is underway, said Tallman.

“This is an incredible opportunity for an archivist to uncover some of the more hidden stories of the big band and swing era and early jazz,” Tallman said. “It’s a career-building opportunity for an archivist and also a great gift to our understanding of the stories behind the music of this era.”

The first job of the new archivist will be to organize the collection in a way that is helpful to researchers and the public who want to access the correspondence, photographs, musical instruments, medals and even clothing. Currently, nothing in the boxes is sorted or organized.

The magic of collaboration

Engaging users with the collections will be a cross-collaboration between RaD and the College of Music’s American Research Center (AMRC) at CU Boulder, as the materials will also be a significant research asset within the jazz studies program.

News clipping from the Fort Morgan Times. Cutline says: “Major Glenn Miller plays a very cold trombone in a hangar somewhere in England during the winter of 1944 shortly before his death. Miller disappeared while on a flight over the English Channel on his way to Paris.”

“An important part of the mission of the AMRC is to serve as an educational resource for the study of American music, history and culture,” noted Austin Okigbo, associate professor of ethnomusicology, African studies and global health and interim director of AMRC.

According to John Gunther, professor of jazz studies and director of the College of Music's Thompson Jazz Studies Program, the Glenn Miller archival project—when completed—will provide students and faculty a unique resource for both study and performance.

"When supporters step in to fill a need—in this case, archiving the extensive Glenn Miller collections for broad accessibility—magic happens," said John Davis, dean of the College of Music.

"Beyond preserving the collections for their immense historical value, this important archival project will illuminate Miller's creative influence for posterity by expanding AMRC research opportunities, by serving as a point of reference and inspiration for students of our College of Music—especially those in the Thompson Jazz Studies Program—and by ensuring general access to the collections, including scholars and interested members of the public well beyond our campus community."

An investment in insights

"This generous gift to our University Libraries archives is not just about preservation. It is also an investment in scholarship,” said Robert McDonald, dean of University Libraries and senior vice provost for online and extended education.

“When processing of the collections is complete, students and other researchers will be able to gain valuable insights into the life, music and cultural impact of Glenn Miller, as well as develop a deeper understanding of the historical context through which these collections are viewed. Researchers will have new access to a trove of primary source materials enabling them to analyze musical trends and uncover narratives that contribute to a deeper understanding of this music and era.”

“Glenn Miller’s story is more than a musical story,” Okigbo pointed out. “His is also the American story when examined within the broader context of his ambition to shape the sound of quintessentially American musical genres—jazz, swing and big band—as well as his role in the war efforts during World War II.”

Down Beat Award given to Glenn Miller and his orchestra, chosen by the Musicians of America in a national poll as the “most popular sweet band in 1941.”

He continued, “The digitization of the collections therefore makes his story easily accessible from anywhere in the world by liberating it from the confines of the traditional archival structure.”

Acknowledging marginalization, reviving a genre

An important goal of preserving this unique piece of American history is to highlight the contributions of marginalized people to what is known as “the Glenn Miller sound.”

“We believe this collection contains stories of people who contributed to the sound and the music of the big band era but did not get the recognition they deserved because of the color of their skin or their personal background,” Tallman said. “Processing this collection is an opportunity to fill those archival silences and make sure the stories are not just about Glenn Miller.”

Along with providing recognition of Miller’s significant contributions to the music of the Silent Generation (those born between 1928 and 1946), RaD plans to broaden his legacy by reaching new groups interested in what the collections have to offer.

Said Tallman, “Glenn Miller has an iconic sound that is recognizable even without being a fan of the music. I hope by making his broader story available we can both support scholarship and create a richer experience for music lovers.”

Stay tuned—over the next 24 months, CU Boulder University Libraries will offer a series of updates during the archival process.

CU Boulder’s vast and historically valuable Glenn Miller collection is set to take the spotlight, thanks to a philanthropy-funded archiving project. Miller attended CU Boulder before becoming one of the most successful big band musicians of the 20th century.

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Giving in Action

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