Upper Iowa University receives $4 million pledge to "Transforming UIU" capital campaign
UIU School of Education to be named for Andres Family
FAYETTE, Iowa (September 16, 2011) – Upper Iowa University (UIU) has received a $4 million commitment to its "Transforming UIU," capital campaign that will be used to help fund capital projects at the University. The pledge is from alumna Betty Andres, Bonita Springs, Fla., and the William and Betty Andres Foundation, Medina, Minn. In all, the Andres family has committed $6.34 million to UIU since 2004, and the University will name its School of Education after the Andres family, calling it the "Andres School of Education."
UIU announced May 25 that it was entering the public phase of its first-ever capital campaign, "Transforming UIU," with a 10-year goal of raising $25 million. The Andres gift is the first major gift in the public phase of the capital campaign. Betty Andres is one of the co-chairs of the capital campaign. Andres graduated from UIU with a bachelor's degree in elementary education and received an honorary doctorate from UIU during the 2011 commencement. A long-time supporter of the University, Betty and her late husband, Bill, donated the lead gift to build the Andres Center for Business and Education as well as provided the funding and leadership to completely re-landscape the campus. Betty Andres served on the UIU Board for nearly 20 years and is a trustee emerita.
"We are very grateful to Betty and her family for this generous gift to the University, and we are pleased to be able to acknowledge their generosity in perpetuity through the Andres School of Education," said UIU President Alan G. Walker. "Coincidentally, our Board of Trustees in presenting a resolution this week that honors our School of Education for its commitment to excellence that recently earned a seven-year reaccreditation from the Iowa State Board of Education. It is only fitting that a UIU program of such high quality should now be named for an alumna and a family that are dedicated to enhancing education for UIU students, especially those pursuing a degree in teacher education."
Walker said the newest commitment from Betty Andres and the Foundation will be used toward capital additions in Phase 1B of its recent capital improvements to the Fayette campus. When the public phase of the campaign was launched in May, Walker noted that the campaign planned to raise $18.1 million for capital projects, $3.4 million for the endowment, $1.6 million for special projects, and $1.9 million for the UIU annual fund. Included in the scope of planned capital improvements are an e-center, science/math center, and additional residence halls.
According to Wendell Snodgrass, UIU vice president for advancement, development and alumni relations, said the capital campaign has been in its silent phase for several years, which raised nearly $15 million, beginning with gifts that led to construction of the Andres Center for Business and Education.
"The Andres family gave us the first gift in the silent phase of the campaign, and has now given us the first lead gift in the public phase of the campaign," Snodgrass said. "Their generosity is once again setting the pace for other alumni and friends of the University."
UIU also received a $7.5 million gift last May to end the silent phase of the campaign from UIU alumni Steve and Diane Harms of West Des Moines, which is funding the current transformation of the UIU football complex. The Andres gift brings UIU to $19.5 million of its goal for the 2004-2014 capital campaign.
For more information or to donate to the capital campaign online, go to www.uiu.edu.
Contact:
Monica Bayer Heaton
Executive Director of Communications and Marketing
Phone: 563-425-5773
Cell: 515-291-2070
heatonm@uiu.edu
About Upper Iowa University
Founded in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private, not-for-profit university providing undergraduate and graduate degree programs and leadership development opportunities to nearly 6,800 students—nationally and internationally—at its Fayette campus and learning centers worldwide. Upper Iowa University is a recognized innovator in offering accredited, quality programs through flexible, multiple delivery systems, including online and independent study. For more information, visit www.uiu.edu.