Michigan Muse Winter 2025 > Giving Update
Giving Update
The Michigan Marching Band performs at Band-O-Rama, 2024. Photo: Peter Smith
Investing in Student Success
Building scholarship resources to support SMTD students remains our top priority, and we extend our sincere gratitude to the following individuals who have recently established new scholarships or made significant gifts to existing funds.
Lawrence Bell (BSE ’68, MSE ’69, MBA ’72) made a gift to the Merton J. and Gladys C. Bell Marching Band Scholarship.
James Berton Harris (BAEd ’63) made gifts to the James Berton Harris Scholarship for students in the musical theatre and costume design programs.
Alan Cline (BS ’67, MA ’68, PhD ’70) and Elaine Rich pledged support and made a gift to establish the Alan Kaylor Cline, Elaine Alice Rich, and Byerly Wiser Cline Family Scholarship for Michigan Marching Band students.
Betty Cummings made a gift to the Betty E. Cummings Marching Band Scholarship.
The Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation made gifts to the SMTD Alumni String Scholarship and Center Stage Strings Scholarship.
James Kershner made a gift to the James Kershner and Mark Pfleger Scholarship in Musical Theatre.
Laura McTaggart (BA ’92) and Thomas Nolan (BSE ’90, MBA ’95) made a gift to the Marching Band Scholarship Fund.
Fredrick (BS ’73, MS ’76) and Laurelie Metzger (AMLS ’78) pledged support for the Fred and Laurie Metzger Family Scholarship benefiting Michigan Marching Band students.
Carla and Michael Miller made a gift to the SMTD Student Aid Fund.
Jerry (MS ’73, PhD ’75) and Emily Miller (MSW ’71) contributed to the Jerry and Emily Miller Scholarship for musical theatre students.
Robert and Linda Monitello contributed to the Monitello Family Scholarship in Horn.
Mary Morse (BA ’64) made gifts to the William Edward and Mary Cockram Morse Endowed Voice and Piano Scholarship and the William Edward and Mary Cockram Morse Pipe Organ Replacement and Scholarship Fund.
The Presser Foundation made a gift to the Presser Graduate Music Award.
Lee Rucker Keiser (BA ’80) and Matthew Keiser (BA ’84, MBA ’86) made a gift to the Lee Rucker Keiser Fund, which provides scholarship support for out-of-state viola, cello, and double bass students.
Jeffrey Seller (BA ’86) made a gift to the Seller Scholarship for in-state students.
Donald Shepherd (BBA ’58) made gifts to support the Donald R. Shepherd Michigan Marching Band Fellowship Award Fund, Donald R. Shepherd MMB Scholarships, James Tapia Marching Band Scholarship, Jamie Nix Marching Band Scholarship, Jeffrey Grogan Marching Band Scholarship, Jerry M. Luckhardt Marching Band Scholarship, John D. Pasquale Marching Band Scholarship, Scott Boerma Marching Band Scholarship, and Donald R. Shepherd Scholarship in Musical Theatre.
Mark Sullivan (BA ’87) and Jim St. George made a gift to the Mark Sullivan and Jim St. George Scholarship for SMTD students.
Marianne Swenson (BA ’82) and John D’Alessandro (BA ’82) contributed to the Marianne and Jon Swenson Marching Band Scholarship.
Michael (BBA ’82, MBA ’92) and Marcia Torrey pledged support and made an establishing gift to the Michael Torrey Theatre Scholarship for musical theatre and theatre & drama students.
Alveris Van Fleet-Corson (BM ’60) made a gift to the Alveris B. Van Fleet-Corson Scholarship for out-of-state students.
Programmatic Support and Capital Needs
We are grateful to the following individuals for their support of various programs and capital needs throughout the school.
An anonymous donor pledged support and made an establishing gift to the Michael J. Pitsch Fund benefiting the Men’s Glee Club.
An anonymous donor contributed to the University Symphony Orchestra Touring Gift Fund to support the orchestra’s tour to South Africa and Carnegie Hall.
Michael and Janet Austerman made a gift to the Michigan Marching Band.
Maurice (BA ’54) and Linda Binkow contributed to the Linda and Maurice Binkow Chamber Music Fund.
The Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation made a gift to the Strings Enrichment Fund.
Derek (BGS ’97) and Erica Groendyk supported the Michigan Marching Band.
Jerry (BS ’68) and Dale Kolins supported the Michigan Marching Band.
Anne Missavage (BS ’76) contributed to the Michigan Marching Band.
Catherine and Robert Poulin made a gift to the Michigan Marching Band.
Judith (attended ’57) and Donald Rumelhart (MA ’70, MS ’73) supported the Friends of Musical Theatre.
Patricia Stacey (BA ’78, MBA ’87) and Noel Tichy supported the Michigan Marching Band.
Mark Sullivan (BA ’87) and Jim St. George made a gift to the Mark Sullivan and Jim St. George International Fund.
Alfred Wolin (BA ’54) contributed to the Gershwin Operating Fund to sustain the Alfred and Jane Wolin Gershwin Initiative Managing Editor position.
Planned Gifts
The following individuals have very generously included the School of Music, Theatre & Dance in their estate plans.
James Berton Harris (BAEd ’63) made a bequest intention to endow the James Berton Harris Scholarship for students in the musical theatre and costume design programs.
Julia Broxholm (BM ’77, MM ’79, DMA ’01) and the estate of Fred Ormand (BM ’58) made a gift to establish the Fred Ormand Endowed Scholarship for clarinet students.
The estate of Ellen Brown (BM ’51) made a gift to the SMTD Student Aid Fund.
The estate of Helen Hall (BA ’65, MA ’66) contributed to the Helen C. Hall Scholarship for trombone students in the Michigan Marching Band.
The estate of Richard Harper (BBA ’50, MBA ’51) supported the Michigan Marching Band.
James Kershner established a charitable gift annuity benefiting the James Kershner and Mark Pfleger Scholarship in Musical Theatre.
The estate of Susan Meyer (MAcc ’89, BBA ’89) made gifts to the Susan Meyer Michigan Marching Band Enrichment Fund and the Susan Meyer Family Marching Band Fund, which provides scholarship support for undergraduate MMB students in the Ross School of Business.
The estate of William Modlin (BSEd ’56) supported the Michigan Marching Band.
Please consider supporting the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Your support will have a very real impact on our students’ ability to forge ahead on their educational paths and share their many gifts with the world. Thank you!