Did you know the University of Nebraska at Kearney offers one of the best music education programs around? Well, thanks to a recent challenge grant—and the ongoing success in reaching its $150,000 goal—the university soon hopes to share the music program’s reputation with many more future students while letting them know an excellent, cost-effective education is available right here.

Retaining our talent

While the students who know of the music program’s reputation enjoy an excellent, cost-effective education, many others overlook it, often attending schools many hundreds of miles away because they were unaware of the program’s quality and available scholarships.

The lack of funds to promote the music department’s quality, host events for prospective students and travel on outreach performance and recruitment trips means UNK is at a distinct disadvantage in the area of recruitment.

The efforts of a current challenge grant offered to the music department, however, seem likely to reverse this trend.

In April of 2010, an anonymous donor announced a challenge grant that will provide $100,000 to support student recruitment efforts if $150,000 from other donors can first be raised. The challenge is just what boosters of the music program needed, and the University of Nebraska Foundation has steadily received gifts for the Recruitment Challenge Grant Fund.

Plenty of time remains for others to lend their support, and gifts of any size are sought to help meet the challenge—or even exceed it—by the Dec. 31, 2010, deadline.

Among the various ways the Recruitment Challenge Grant Fund will sustain the music department’s recruitment efforts include support for on-campus music workshops, camps, clinics and competitions, as well as support for recruitment travel and advertising and promotion of the music department.

The fund will allow the department to draw talented music scholars from the state, region and world as never before, enhancing the campus today and transforming music education.

Indicators of quality

In addition to recently receiving Program of Excellence designation by the university, the music program has enhanced its curriculum, boasting a number of unique programs, such as musical theatre, music business and graduate online music education.

The music program has continued its service to the campus and community with an exceptional number of cultural and educational activities, including student, faculty and guest recitals, concerts, festivals, workshops, master classes and state and regional conferences.

Of particular importance to its students is the music department’s successful placement of graduates into music education, performance and business careers and within prominent graduate programs.

This record of success, in large part, is due to the credentials and dedication of the music faculty, the support granted by the administration and community members, and the department’s growing reputation within the profession, but it would be impossible without the contribution of talented students.

For more information about the Recruitment Challenge Grant Fund and helping the UNK music department reach this challenge grant goal, contact Kristin Howard at the University of Nebraska Foundation at 308-698-5276 or toll free 800-432-3216 or by e-mail at khoward@nufoundation.org.

A legacy of support

The same anonymous donor who is providing the challenge grant to the Department of Music and Performing Arts has quietly enjoyed helping the music program for several years.

On April 27, 2010, at the Kearney Symphony Orchestra’s last performance of the season, it was announced that the generous individual had provided gifts totaling $2 million, including $500,000 to permanently endow a chair in the music department. The chair was named the Ronald J. Crocker Chair in Orchestra, and Crocker, a longtime and beloved professor at UNK, is the first faculty member to hold the chair created in his name. Crocker also directs the Kearney Symphony Orchestra.

The donor’s gifts include $1.4 million over the last several years to provide scholarships for piano and strings students in the UNK music department.

Music program at UNK receives $2 million in private gifts

When making the announcement, Chancellor Doug Kristensen said, “This is the largest gift in the music department’s distinguished history at UNK and provides not only fantastic opportunities for UNK students, it also enhances the campus’ cultural impact in the community and region. This is a tremendous day not only for UNK students but for the community overall.”

Jon Abegglen, vice president of development for the University of Nebraska Foundation, noted that UNK is currently in a fundraising campaign to raise $50 million with top goals for student and faculty support.

“We are very grateful for this gift, which provides generous support for students and faculty, and provides great momentum for the campaign,” he said.

Abegglen said he was hopeful other donors would be able to help meet the challenge grant, which will bring more music students to campus.

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