Mike Yoder/Journal-World PhotoHelen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art representatives hope to broaden the use of the museum’s collection with an $850,000 endowed fund from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Kansas University Endowment Association.
The Mellon foundation, based in New York City, has challenged KU to raise $375,000 in private gifts for the museum during the next three years. If accomplished, the foundation will grant KU $475,000.
Andrea Norris, director of Spencer, said the funds would help strengthen the role of the museum within the university community. Norris hopes to increase the use of the museum collection among KU faculty and students in every area, including music and dance, sociology, pharmacy, French and others.
“The visual arts are an integral component of education,” Norris said. “The broad purpose of the fund is to encourage use of the collection by the entire university.”
The museum’s increased role will be accomplished through continuation of the graduate internship program. The interns currently provide research, recommend new acquisitions, prepare exhibits and conduct tours.
“The interns are a major component in making it possible to serve the university,” Norris said.
The interns have been funded by two previous grants from the Mellon Foundation in the past eight years.
John Scarffe, director of communication for the endowment association, said he was confident the foundation’s challenge would be met. By Wednesday, when news of the challenge was released, KU already had raised a couple of gifts, Scarffe said.
Norris said she has no doubt the challenge would be a success.
“Everyone is very confident that the match can be made. I was encouraged by university administration and the endowment association to pursue it. They’re very enthusiastic about it.”
Mike Yoder/Journal-World PhotoHelen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art representatives hope to broaden the use of the museum’s collection with an $850,000 endowed fund from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Kansas University Endowment Association.
The Mellon foundation, based in New York City, has challenged KU to raise $375,000 in private gifts for the museum during the next three years. If accomplished, the foundation will grant KU $475,000.
Andrea Norris, director of Spencer, said the funds would help strengthen the role of the museum within the university community. Norris hopes to increase the use of the museum collection among KU faculty and students in every area, including music and dance, sociology, pharmacy, French and others.
“The visual arts are an integral component of education,” Norris said. “The broad purpose of the fund is to encourage use of the collection by the entire university.”
The museum’s increased role will be accomplished through continuation of the graduate internship program. The interns currently provide research, recommend new acquisitions, prepare exhibits and conduct tours.
“The interns are a major component in making it possible to serve the university,” Norris said.
The interns have been funded by two previous grants from the Mellon Foundation in the past eight years.
John Scarffe, director of communication for the endowment association, said he was confident the foundation’s challenge would be met. By Wednesday, when news of the challenge was released, KU already had raised a couple of gifts, Scarffe said.
Norris said she has no doubt the challenge would be a success.
“Everyone is very confident that the match can be made. I was encouraged by university administration and the endowment association to pursue it. They’re very enthusiastic about it.”
Mike Yoder/Journal-World PhotoHelen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art representatives hope to broaden the use of the museum’s collection with an $850,000 endowed fund from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Kansas University Endowment Association.
The Mellon foundation, based in New York City, has challenged KU to raise $375,000 in private gifts for the museum during the next three years. If accomplished, the foundation will grant KU $475,000.
Andrea Norris, director of Spencer, said the funds would help strengthen the role of the museum within the university community. Norris hopes to increase the use of the museum collection among KU faculty and students in every area, including music and dance, sociology, pharmacy, French and others.
“The visual arts are an integral component of education,” Norris said. “The broad purpose of the fund is to encourage use of the collection by the entire university.”
The museum’s increased role will be accomplished through continuation of the graduate internship program. The interns currently provide research, recommend new acquisitions, prepare exhibits and conduct tours.
“The interns are a major component in making it possible to serve the university,” Norris said.
The interns have been funded by two previous grants from the Mellon Foundation in the past eight years.
John Scarffe, director of communication for the endowment association, said he was confident the foundation’s challenge would be met. By Wednesday, when news of the challenge was released, KU already had raised a couple of gifts, Scarffe said.
Norris said she has no doubt the challenge would be a success.
“Everyone is very confident that the match can be made. I was encouraged by university administration and the endowment association to pursue it. They’re very enthusiastic about it.”
Mike Yoder/Journal-World PhotoHelen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art representatives hope to broaden the use of the museum’s collection with an $850,000 endowed fund from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Kansas University Endowment Association.
The Mellon foundation, based in New York City, has challenged KU to raise $375,000 in private gifts for the museum during the next three years. If accomplished, the foundation will grant KU $475,000.
Andrea Norris, director of Spencer, said the funds would help strengthen the role of the museum within the university community. Norris hopes to increase the use of the museum collection among KU faculty and students in every area, including music and dance, sociology, pharmacy, French and others.
“The visual arts are an integral component of education,” Norris said. “The broad purpose of the fund is to encourage use of the collection by the entire university.”
The museum’s increased role will be accomplished through continuation of the graduate internship program. The interns currently provide research, recommend new acquisitions, prepare exhibits and conduct tours.
“The interns are a major component in making it possible to serve the university,” Norris said.
The interns have been funded by two previous grants from the Mellon Foundation in the past eight years.
John Scarffe, director of communication for the endowment association, said he was confident the foundation’s challenge would be met. By Wednesday, when news of the challenge was released, KU already had raised a couple of gifts, Scarffe said.
Norris said she has no doubt the challenge would be a success.
“Everyone is very confident that the match can be made. I was encouraged by university administration and the endowment association to pursue it. They’re very enthusiastic about it.”
