Iowa State University


2-21-97

Contacts:
Beverly Crabtree, Family and Consumer Sciences, (515) 294- 0860
James Melsa, Engineering, (515) 294-5935
Thomas Mitchell, ISU Foundation, (515) 294-4607
Skip Derra, News Service, (515) 294-4917


MAYTAG GIFT SERVES THREEFOLD PURPOSE

AMES, Iowa -- A gift of $470,000 from Maytag Corporation Foundation, Newton, to Iowa State University has been designated for two new facilities, the Palmer Human Development and Family Studies Building and the Engineering Teaching and Research Complex (ETRC), as well as the Christina Hixson Opportunity Awards.

"Iowa State and Maytag go back a long ways and we're delighted that Maytag has chosen to support our current effort to increase scholarships for students," said Iowa State University President Martin Jischke. "The gift from Maytag will support students in our colleges of Engineering and Family and Consumer Sciences as well as the Hixson Opportunity Awards Program, which helps students from every county in Iowa attend Iowa State."

Maytag is one of more than 1,500 donors to the Palmer building, which is scheduled for an April 11 groundbreaking. The 21,600-square-foot facility will consolidate on central campus the Child Development Laboratory School, Family Financial Counseling Clinic, and Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic. It also will accommodate the expansion of ongoing inter-generational programming.

"This building is a major new initiative that is vital to the vision of our college," said Beverly Crabtree, dean of ISU's College of Family and Consumer Sciences. "It will allow Iowa State to better serve Iowans by strengthening important programs contributing to the social and economic well being of individuals and families across the life span."

Innovation is central to the Engineering Teaching and Research Complex. A previous gift creating the Maytag Innovative Teaching Classroom in Marston Hall was a precursor to the College of Engineering's plans to build the ETRC. The gift financed a model engineering classroom that incorporated network computers, satellite connectivity and fiber-optic communication systems.

"This gift will help the College of Engineering realize its vision of a learning-based, practice-oriented education for its students," said James Melsa, dean of ISU's College of Engineering. "We believe that this type of education is needed to prepare students for the practice of engineering in the 21st century."

The third designation for Maytag's gift is to the Christina Hixson Opportunity Awards Program, a component of the $50 million President's Scholarship Campaign. This unique program provides full tuition awards for 100 high school graduates, ideally one from each Iowa county, who because of difficult life circumstances need a boost to make a college education possible. Since the program began in the fall of 1995, nearly 200 students have received the awards.

"Maytag's contribution focus includes education that builds a skilled work force and programs that enhance family life," said Leonard A. Hadley, Maytag chairman and CEO. "These grants to Iowa State University are a perfect fit for us and strengthen the partnership between Maytag and ISU in preparing students for the future."

With these projects, Maytag's support to Iowa State has reached $720,000 since 1992.

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Diana Pounds, University Relations, dpounds@iastate.edu
Copyright © 1997, Iowa State University, all rights reserved
URL: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/releases/maytag2.21.html
Revised 2/21/97