UMatters

[The following was provided by UMKC’s Office of Public Relations.]

On Nov. 9, UMKC and the UMKC Foundation announced the official launch of capital campaign. The seven–year, $250 million campaign – called, The Campaign for UMKC – has already received $100,030,984 in gifts.

The campaign will help UMKC empower students to achieve by providing additional need- and merit-based scholarships; attract and retain outstanding faculty by offering competitive endowed faculty positions; develop and expand our world-class programs, including the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Urban Education Research Center; and create facilities that foster learning in our students, such as the Center for Translational Research in Urban Health, the Law Advocacy Center and the chemistry labs.

In addition to the $32 million gift from Henry W. Bloch, which was announced on Sept. 15, other recent gifts toward the $250 million goal are 

• Thomas D. Hyde and Vina W. Hyde pledged $6 million to support the Chancellor’s vision for the University.
• Bill and Irma Lou Hirsch provided $100,000 for a scholarship to support four students per year in the UMKC School of Nursing’s online RN-BSN program.
• Dr. Marjorie Sirridge made a gift of $125,000 to advance and sustain the contributions that the Sirridge Office of Medical Humanities and Bioethics makes to the medical education of UMKC physicians.
• Dr. Linda Hood Talbott has pledged $250,000 in current and planned gifts to establish the Linda H. and Thomas H. Talbott Scholarship and Leadership Award to assist outstanding student leaders in the College of Arts & Sciences. In addition, they support the Conservatory of Music and Dance, the Bloch School of Management, the School of Education, the Theatre Department and the Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

To learn more about the campaign and to see a list of the Steering Committee members appointed to oversee the campaign visit the Office of Public Relations website.

[The photograph of Chancellor Leo Morton shown here was taken during a special campaign launch event at the Kansas City Club on Wednesday, Nov. 9.]