Winter_Magazine2015_BOOK

18-19 / 72

16 17
philanthropy in action
st. lawrence university magazine | winter 2015
Comprehensive Fee
tuition, room & board, fees.
*Dollar figures
are from 2013-14
WHY GIFTS MATTER
Total Cost
to educate a student.
Di erence
to be made up, per student.
We bet you thought what we charge each student is what
it costs to educate that student. Not even close – just look
at the graphic.
HOW DO WE CLOSE THAT $10,600 GAP?*
Gifts to the Annual Fund is one huge way.
Gifts support:
• Financial aid • Academic initiatives
• Faculty and student research • International programs
• Library materials • Student activities • Sports equipment
• And lots more….
To learn more: Barb Knauf,
Someone once said that a gift may benefit the
giver more than the receiver, and so it is with me,”
says Sofi Kurz.
While she did not attend St. Lawrence, she has donated much to
the University by creating the B. Jerome Kurz ’57 and Sofi Kurz
Endowed Scholarship. Initially funded in October 2011 with a
gift of $100,000, the scholarship is awarded to juniors or seniors
who have demonstrated a sincere intent to pursue a professional
medical or dental career.
Kurz was inspired by her husband, who went by “Jerry”
and was a dentist. She says, “St. Lawrence always remained
uppermost in his affection. He often spoke warmly of his
years there.”
Jerry’s death in 2009 prompted Sofi Kurz to offer
St. Lawrence a portion of their family trust that had already been
set aside for St. Lawrence. While the gift was to be given upon
her death, she decided, “Why wait?”
Two recent graduates became the first to hold the award:
Johanna “Joey” Kelley ’13 and Ryan J. Fitzpatrick ’14.
“It was a very nice surprise,” says Kelley, who was away at a
lacrosse game when she found out. Now a second-year medical
student at the University of Vermont, she says, “The Kurz scholarship helped me not
only at St. Lawrence, but also to pursue my dream of going to med school.”
Kelley has continued her love of lacrosse by helping coach a 5th and 6th grade
team. She intends to give back to
St. Lawrence because, she says, “It’s really nice to have this support and to know
that I’ll have connections forever.”
A doctoral student in the physical therapy program at Upstate Medical
University in Syracuse, New York, Fitzpatrick says “I felt honored to be chosen
as a recipient of an award such as this.” He explains that without gifts from
individuals or families like the Kurzes, he would not have had “such great
opportunities” during his education. He adds that he is “eternally grateful for
all the help I’ve received.”
Although Sofi Kurz set up the scholarship to honor her husband, her philanthropy
has fostered a connection to the University in her own right and has given her a
continuing place in the Laurentian community. n
By Stephanie Eldon ’14
Scholarship Supports
Pre-Medical Students
ince reconstruction of its bell tower got underway last fall, one year after a devastating fire, Gunni-
son Memorial Chapel has been wrapped in scaffolding and plastic like a cast supporting a wounded
appendage, “so we can provide heat for the masonry work being completed during the winter,”
said Daniel Seaman, chief facilities officer, in October.
Fourteen separate projects were identified for renovation, several needing specialized contractors. The
exterior work follows attention to the wooden pews and floors, and cleaning and repainting of the interior walls.
As for the beloved spire, its copper panels, famous rooster and weather vane will be exact replicas of the
original 1926 features. There is no lingering doubt that the chapel bells will soon ring again.
S
Gunnison Renovations Progressing
MANLEY
Society
St. Lawrence
become a member of the Manley Society.
It’s easy. By establishing a charitable bequest, charitable gift annuity or charitable trust, you join
with hundreds of other Laurentians who are celebrating our history and traditions while preserv-
ing St. Lawrence’s vitality for the next generations of students. Contact Anne Sibley, director of
planned giving, for more information about how you can ensure a bright future for tomorrow’s
Laurentians: 315-229-5506 or .
Celebrate the past, preserve the future
❝
Fitzpatrick
Kelley