October 8, 2005
Purdue alumni couple helps fund 2 endowed chairs for education
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A Zionsville, Ind., couple on Saturday (Oct. 8) gave future generations the key to learning with a gift that will result in the creation of two chairs in Purdue University's College of Education.
Susan S. and Ronald W. Dollens are making the $1.5 million gift to create the Jean Adamson Stanley Faculty Chair in Literacy in honor of Susan Dollens' mother, a former teacher. Susan Dollens is a retired teacher, and Ronald Dollens is CEO of Guidant Corp.
The person chosen for the new chair will be a national leader in literacy education.
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"According to the National Institute for Literacy, 20 percent of American adults don't have the literacy skills to earn a living wage," Purdue President Martin C. Jischke said. "Therefore, it is imperative that we at one of the country's top universities do all we can to create opportunity."
The announcement is part of a two-week celebration leading up to Purdue's Oct. 15 Homecoming. Events focus on ways Purdue is improving education and helping the state of Indiana as part of the university's strategic plan and $1.5 billion fund-raising campaign.
The gift from the Dollens family capitalizes on a challenge from Indianapolis business and civic leader William E. Bindley. The Bindley Chair Challenge allots funds to match other gifts and pledges to create 15 endowed chairs throughout the university.
As a result of the Dollenses' contribution, the College of Education will have two new academic chairs, one in Jean Adamson Stanley's name and one in Bindley's.
"Undoubtedly, these two professorships will position Purdue as a leader in this area and enhance the quality of education Purdue can provide to the next generation of teachers," Jischke said.
The Dollenses said they are giving the gift because of Susie Dollens' positive experience as an education major at Purdue and because of her many years working in elementary schools.
"Ron and I are both Purdue graduates, and we have a real affinity for what Purdue offers," said Susie Dollens, who received a bachelor's degree in education with a concentration in remedial reading from Purdue in 1970 and a master's degree from Indiana University. "We feel strongly about helping deserving students obtain a quality education, and we know the College of Education can make a difference.
"Areas in the sciences and business usually are the ones that receive financial support. We wanted to do something to fund education, which tends not to attract large gifts. Purdue has a wonderful College of Education that is striving to fulfill its mission, and our hope is that this gift will help in that quest."
She said they chose to fund a chair in literacy because reading is fundamental to all learning.
"If you can read, you can learn, but if you can't read, you flounder," she said. "The simple act of going to the library and being able to read books is not possible for everyone, and that is a great tragedy."
She said she and her family established this endowed chair in her mother's name because her mother was a strong proponent of a good education. Jane Adamson Stanley, who died in 2003, taught a variety of subjects in middle and high schools in Indiana for more than 40 years. Born in 1912, she was the youngest of seven college-educated children, six of whom were teachers in Indiana.
"Our children knew that a chair of literacy in their grandmother's name would be a wonderful, lasting way to honor her," said Ron Dollens, who received a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from Purdue in 1970. "She felt that a good educational system was the answer to most of society's problems and that to move forward personally, a good education was imperative."
Susie Dollens said she and her husband are pleased to be able to support the university and its $1.5 billion Campaign for Purdue.
"Purdue is such an exciting place," she said. "We've lived on the East Coast and the West Coast, and everyone knows about the quality of a Purdue education. And the enthusiasm created by President Jischke only adds to our willingness to want to support this great university."
George W. Hynd, dean of the College of Education, said gaining two endowed professorships will improve the education of future teachers as well as enhance the image of both the college and Purdue as a whole.
"This gift recognizes the importance of early literacy, which is one of our strategic goals in the College of Education," he said. "This will create only the second endowed chair in the college, and we are thrilled to receive one of just 15 Bindley matching gifts available in the university.
"This donation has enormous potential to both help future educators teach students basic literacy skills as well as to attract and retain new faculty. We are extremely grateful that Ron and Susie Dollens see the opportunity in supporting this important mission."
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Maribeth Schmitt, a professor of literacy education and director of the Purdue Literacy Network Project, can appreciate the Dollenses' generosity.
"Literacy is a key to the future of the state, and without effective early literacy education, people have to fight to catch up the rest of their lives," she said. "Our project works with teachers to make a difference in students' lives so they can be successful participants in their schooling and contribute to society. This gift broadens our level of support."
Susie Dollens currently serves on the College of Education's Dean's Advisory Council. She taught elementary school for many years in Indiana, Ohio, New York and California.
Ron Dollens earned an MBA from Indiana University in 1972. He was employed by Eli Lilly and Co. from 1972 until 1994, where he served as president of the medical device and diagnostic division, the predecessor to Guidant Corp.
He was named Guidant's president and CEO in 1994. He will retain that title until the merger of Guidant and Johnson & Johnson is completed, which is expected in late October.
Ron Dollens also serves as the Harold A. "Red" Poling Chair of Business and Government in Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.
In addition to his leadership of Guidant, he has been a leader for business, education and health-related organizations in Indiana and the nation.
He has been a member of the Dean's Industrial Advisory Council at Purdue, along with serving on the advisory council of Indiana University's schools of medicine and business, and on the board of trustees of Butler University.
In 2003 the Guidant Foundation honored Dollens by giving Purdue $500,000 to endow the Ronald W. Dollens Graduate Scholarship in Life Sciences. The scholarship is given annually to a graduate student in either Purdue's School of Pharmacy or Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.
The College of Education is raising $14 million as part of the $1.5 billion Campaign for Purdue to attract and retain new faculty, provide scholarships to students, support facilities and equipment, and to support a variety of centers in the college.
The centers are the Assessment Research Center, Center for 21st Century Conceptual Tools, Gifted Education Resource Institute, James F. Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship, Purdue Literacy Network Project and the Center for Research and Engagement in Science and Mathematics Education.
So far, the College of Education campaign has raised more than $12 million.
Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu
Sources: Murray Blackwelder, senior vice president for advancement, (765) 496-2144, mblackwelder@purdue.edu
George Hynd, (765) 494-2336, ghynd@purdue.edu
Maribeth Schmitt, (765) 494-5683, mschmitt@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Related Web site:
Purdue College of Education
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