$2.5 million gift commitment largest ever for School of Education

LAWRENCE — A University of Kansas alumnus and his wife have made a $2.5 million commitment to establish an endowed scholarship program for KU’s School of Education.

The donors, who wish to remain anonymous, have had strong ties to KU’s School of Education through both graduate teaching and the supervision of elementary student teachers.

The gift will include funding for specialized work in acquiring leadership skills connected to the organizational change disciplines first outlined in Peter Senge’s book, “The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization.” This book provides guidelines to lead organizations in transforming rigid hierarchies into more fluid and responsive systems.

The donors established the fund through KU Endowment to benefit KU students majoring in education.

Rick Ginsberg, dean of KU’s School of Education, expressed appreciation for the gift, which is the largest in the school’s history.

“We thank the donors for this generous gift,” said Ginsberg. “The intent is to provide undergraduate students the opportunity to be supported in their quest to become leaders with organizational understanding and appreciation of the larger system in which their work is embedded. Once the scholarship program is in place, it will attract the best students for professional studies in education at KU.”

This gift will count toward Far Above: The Campaign for Kansas, the comprehensive fundraising campaign scheduled for public kickoff April 28.

KU Endowment is the independent, nonprofit organization serving as the official fundraising and fund-management organization for KU. Founded in 1891, KU Endowment was the first foundation of its kind at a U.S. public university.