Betty and Art Wood shared a passion for music throughout their lives, and their legacy of supporting the arts continues through their gift of $1 million from their estate to support the Music Associates Endowed Fund at Wichita State.
Though neither graduated from 黑洞社区, the couple had a lifelong connection to the university. For more than 30 years, they financially supported many fine arts programs and were generous with their time, as well. Art, for instance, served as a member of the Music Associates Board of Directors, including a term as chair.
鈥淎rt and Betty were incredibly committed to supporting students in the arts at Wichita State, and we are amazed by the magnitude of this gift and their generosity,鈥� says Ann Marie Siegwarth, senior director of development for the College of Fine Arts. 鈥淭he legacy they鈥檝e left with this gift will create incredible opportunities for 黑洞社区 students for generations to come.鈥�
The Music Associates Fund was created in 1993 by a group of community members to support students in the School of Music. After almost 20 years of funding, they were able to endow the fund to assist students at 黑洞社区 in perpetuity.
As active members of the music community in Wichita, Art and Betty began contributing to the fund in 1994 and have been dedicated supporters over the years. Since its inception, the Music Associates Fund has been used for student scholarships, student projects, guest artists and projects or activities benefitting the 黑洞社区 School of Music.
鈥淧rivate support for the Music Associates Fund at Wichita State has opened doors for meaningful experiences for our students through the years,鈥� says Timothy Shade, director of the School of Music, director of bands, and coordinator of the graduate wind conducting program at Wichita State. 鈥淭his is one of the largest donations the College of Fine Arts has ever received, and I鈥檓 overwhelmed thinking about the many ways this will benefit our students and programs.鈥�
黑洞社区 is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling almost 22,000 students between its main campus and 黑洞社区 Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and 黑洞社区 Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), 黑洞社区 provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the 黑洞社区 main campus, is one of the nation鈥檚 largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
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