Ellbogen Foundation Gifts $1 Million to UW College of Education |  
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Oct. 27, 2007 -- The John P. Ellbogen Foundation has pledged $1 million to the University of Wyoming to support the John P. Ellbogen College of Education Dean's Excellence Fund. This latest commitment brings the Ellbogen Foundation's total gifts and pledges to UW to more than $4.9 million.
The gift will be matched dollar for dollar by the State Endowment Fund and will be used to address the critical needs and priorities that complement the University of Wyoming Academic Plan, College of Education goals, and the Ellbogen Foundation's mission.
Pat McClurg, dean of the UW College of Education, says the college has worked with the Ellbogen Foundation on several projects to support excellence in education.
"This gift is particularly exciting because the endowment is flexible enough to allow us to address evolving needs and priorities in education," says McClurg. "And the substantial, consistent funding permits us to incorporate longer-term initiatives in our strategic planning processes."
"We will always give consideration to the College of Education in the areas that are outlined as priorities in its academic plan," says Mary Ellbogen Garland, Ellbogen Foundation president. "The college has been an excellent partner, both in bringing us good projects and in listening and helping us implement what we think is right for Wyoming."
Additionally, the Ellbogen Foundation recently designated $260,000 of its previous $1 million gift to the university to the Excellence Fund for Geriatric Education in the College of Health Sciences. This will also be matched through the state endowment fund.
"The UW College of Health Sciences is committed to interprofessional education and looks forward to partnering with the Ellbogen Foundation to develop an interdisciplinary Geriatric Education Center," says Bob Kelley, dean of the UW College of Health Sciences. "Support from the Ellbogen Foundation, partnered with federal and state funding, will permit the college to focus on the special health care needs of the elderly, and to provide productive opportunities for learning in geriatrics among both students and faculty across the college."
These two gifts will be added to a list of nine separate endowments by the Ellbogen Foundation at UW, including the John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award, the university's highest honor for teaching, awarded every year since 1979.
The Ellbogen Foundation was formed out of the proceeds of the estate of John P. "Jack" Ellbogen, who died in 2001. Prior to Ellbogen's death, he donated $1.2 million to UW, primarily contributing to educational distinction.
"I was privileged to spend considerable time with Jack during my first years with UW. Jack was a key member of the UW Foundation Board for many years," says Ben Blalock, president/CEO of the University of Wyoming Foundation. "Jack was one of UW's visionary philanthropic leaders who played a pivotal role in elevating the university's private support programs to new heights. His foundation under the leadership of his family has continued Jack's UW legacy in a remarkable fashion. There is no doubt that Jack is smiling down on his alma mater."
The Ellbogen Foundation's mission is "To create or cause change, primarily for the benefit of the people of the state of Wyoming through the support of science, education, and charity."
"When our foundation talks about change, we talk about change on the systemic level," Garland says. "Typically, we make larger grants; but we like building partnerships with both private funders with similar missions and the public side of the equation, the state legislature.
"I feel blessed," she says. "I can wake up every morning and ask, 'What are the possibilities for my dad's foundation today.'"
Photo:
Ellbogen Foundation President Mary Ellbogen Garland, left, visits with University of Wyoming College of Education Dean Pat McClurg. The Ellbogen Foundation has pledged $1 million to support needs and priorities in the UW College of Education.
Posted on Saturday, October 27, 2007
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