RAISING RESOURCES

During a pre-concert reception at the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra holiday concert, SU President Carolyn Ringer Lepre announced that long-time SU supporters Dr. Peter and Judy Jackson had pledged their most generous gift yet to SU: an addition of $800,000 to their previous promise of $500,000 for music programs at the University. The new annual and charitable remainder trust funding brings their total endowment to $1.3 million.

In recognition of the Jacksons’ nearly two decades of support, the University’s music program was named in their honor: the Peter and Judy Jackson Music Program.

The Jacksons have been supporters of SU’s Music, Theatre and Dance Department for years, and the rededication of the program is a deserving tribute to their longstanding commitment. For years, their support has benefited the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra, the music program, and the Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts as a whole. Through their generosity, they have helped establish SU as a regional performing arts leader.

The Jacksons made SU history in 2003, when they turned a $100,000 gift to the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra into a challenge grant that ultimately raised some $400,000 for the ensemble. In 2009, they more than doubled their endowment, leaving at least $500,000 to the orchestra as part of a charitable remainder trust. In 2011, they followed with a gift to create the Peter and Judy Jackson Chamber Music Series at SU. 

In addition, they previously funded the Peter and Judy Jackson Music Scholarship for students in SU’s PRESTO performing arts outreach program, which provides music and theatre instruction for community members, predominately students from area K-12 schools.

This new endowment will continue to provide support to each of those programs over the next 10 years. Additional funds from the endowment will support other aspects of the Jackson Music Program, including scholarships, performances and faculty development.

In celebration of SU President Carolyn Ringer Lepre’s Inauguration, the President and First Gentleman Todd Lepre created the Presidential High-Impact Learning Experience Awards in memory of their mothers, Jaquelyn H. Ringer and Nancy A. Hamner. Both women were ardent champions of education and fervently believed that every individual deserved a chance to learn.

Raising more than $20,000, the vision behind these awards is rooted in unveiling the transformative power of high-impact practices in education. These practices encompass a wide array of immersive experiences, including service learning, study abroad, undergraduate research and internships. The goal of the Experience Awards is to provide deserving students with the financial support needed to embark on these enriching journeys.

The Student Travel Grant is designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with attending professional conferences or meetings. These grants empower students to present their original research, showcase unique academic programs, or even partake in visual, performance or creative arts competitions.

The Student Opportunity Award further subsidizes a diverse range of high-impact learning activities. From local internships to international study abroad experiences, this award aims to open doors to transformative education.

The Graduate School Access Award serves as a beacon of support, helping SU students navigate the complex path toward graduate education, covering expenses related to the search, application and selection process.

The Honors College Leadership Grant caters specifically to Clarke Honors College students, fosters leadership opportunities and facilitates research and conference presentations. This grant recognized the immense potential in these young leaders and scholars.

In honoring the legacies of two remarkable women, the Presidential High-Impact Learning Experience Awards not only exemplifies the enduring spirit of education but also provides tangible resources for students to thrive.

Since beginning her tenure as SU’s 10th President last July, Dr. Carolyn Ringer Lepre has had the opportunity to hear from many enthusiastic Sea Gull graduates at campus events such as Alumni Homecoming and Family Weekend. But with alumni across the nation and abroad, Dr. Lepre is setting out to get to know even more Sea Gulls through “SU on the Road,” a new alumni engagement initiative. 

The University’s alumni network is nearly 60,000 strong, and it is not always possible for our Sea Gulls to return home to SU as often as they like. This is why Dr. Lepre and the University’s Alumni Relations team are taking “SU on the Road” and bringing the spirit and vitality of SU to alumni where they live.

“SU on the Road” has engaged with alumni in cities like Dallas, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

In Philadelphia and Baltimore, the initiative has brought many alumni out to large gatherings at Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies baseball games. The tour has also visited smaller cities and towns in Maryland like Annapolis, Leonardtown and Fulton. 

SU believes our alumni are our greatest ambassadors and most loyal supporters. The highly engaged network of Sea Gulls help support and mentor current SU students, make internship and career opportunities possible for recent graduates, and give generously and often in support of students and programs so the next generation of Sea Gulls will have the best experiences and opportunities possible. 

“SU on the Road” will continue throughout 2024 with more stops planned to engage with Sea Gulls across the country.