September 3, 2003
U Creates Endowed Chair in Urban Education
as part of $5 Million Campaign Gift
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – A new endowed faculty chair
in urban education is being established at the University
of Minnesota as part of a $5 million Campaign Minnesota gift
from Carmen and Jim Campbell. One of only a few such positions
in the country, the chair is designed to develop and share
knowledge about issues specific to urban schools, such as
teacher retention and development, classroom stability, and
problems with at-risk children. It will be called the Carmen
Starkson Campbell Endowed Chair in Urban Education, in recognition
of Carmen Campbell’s career as a teacher in the Minneapolis
schools and in honor of her parents.
“Studies show that having consistent, well-trained
teachers is one of the most critical ingredients for children’s
success in school, and yet nearly two-thirds of all teachers
in urban schools are new or on the move,” said Robert
Bruininks, university president and former dean of the College
of Education and Human Development. “Our goal with this
new chair is to help solve this problem by improving teacher
retention and development in urban schools.”
“We were looking for a way to create a gift that would
really have a positive, supportive effect on teachers in urban
schools,” said Carmen Campbell, a 1964 education graduate.
“We saw the urban setting changing and realized we wanted
to help fine young teachers stay in the profession. The gift
is also in honor of my parents, who both were involved in
education in southern Minnesota for more than 40 years.”
The new chair will deepen the expertise already in place
in the college of education in the field of urban education.
Faculty are currently engaged in projects such as literary
research, intervention with at-risk children, special education,
school dropouts, and classroom management. The university’s
setting between two urban centers creates an ideal environment
for the new position, and the college will look for a chair
holder who can strengthen partnerships with the Minneapolis
and St. Paul school districts.
The Campbells’ campaign gift is also supporting the
Carlson School of Management.
“The Campbells’ generous gift will help provide
seed money for innovative programs that keep us at the cutting
edge of education,” said Lawrence Benveniste, dean of
the Carlson School. One example is the school’s Enterprise
Programs, which give students hands-on experience in managing
stock portfolios and other investments and in working with
entrepreneurs to start new companies.
“These programs are very significant because they allow
students to roll up their sleeves and have real-life business
experiences,” said Jim Campbell, a 1964 business graduate
and former chair and CEO of Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota. Campbell
and several other alumni were instrumental in working with
the Carlson School to establish a strategic investment fund
to support such programs.
Portions of the Campbells’ gift also are designated
to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and the U of M Marching
Band.
Campaign Minnesota, the university’s seven-year fund-raising
campaign, ended on June 30, 2003. The final results of the
campaign will be announced Sept. 10. The gift from the Campbells
supports several of the campaign’s major priorities,
in faculty, research, and strategic investment.
For more information, contact Martha
Douglas, University of Minnesota Foundation, (612) 626-9712
or Amy Phenix, U News Service, (612) 625-8510
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