11/9/99
ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University alumni Will and Ann Lee Konneker have agreed to donate $2.5 million to Ohio University to create an endowed chair in the College of Arts and Sciences, bringing their total donations to the university to more than $15.5 million.
"Will Konneker's chair will be used to advance interdisciplinary teaching and research in the sciences," said Leslie Flemming, dean of the college. "As the boundaries between traditional scientific disciplines have begun to break down in recent years, some of the most exciting areas of investigation involve scientists who work across multiple disciplines. The Konneker chair positions the College of Arts and Sciences to respond to this trend and will enable us to build on our strengths in interdisciplinary research."
The endowed faculty chair for interdisciplinary work in the college will be funded with $2 million of the gift. The remaining $500,000 will establish a dissertation write-up fund for graduate students who are in the final stages of completing their dissertations and another fund for general graduate student research support. "The Konnekers are two of Ohio University's most generous and dedicated supporters," said Leonard Raley, vice president for University Advancement and executive director of The Ohio University Foundation. "Their commitment through both their time and their philanthropy will have a wonderful influence on this university for years to come."
Will Konneker completed a bachelor's degree in chemistry and mathematics in 1943 and a master's degree in physics in 1947 at Ohio University. He has held numerous positions on university boards, including chairman of the 1978-80 1804 Fund campaign, co-chair of the 1989-93 Third Century Campaign and chair of the National Alumni Association. He was a pioneer in the early years of nuclear physics, working during World War II on the Manhattan Project. He went on to create or co-found seven companies, including Nuclear Consultants Inc., a supplier of radioactive isotopes for medicine. He has been one of the most sought-after experts in the use of radioisotopes in diagnostic and therapeutic medicine.
An honorary alumna of the university, Ann Lee attended Ohio University and completed a bachelor's degree at Ohio State University in 1946. She assisted in the restoration of the Konneker Alumni Center, received the university's Baker Award in 1998 and has been an active participant in university fund-raising campaigns, alumni events and other university activities.
The Konnekers' gifts to Ohio University have supported various endeavors, including the purchase of the former Grosvenor House to create the Konneker Alumni Center. They have given to athletic s, the College of Fine Arts, Alden Library, the College of Education, the Center for International Studies and other areas. In October 1998, the Konnekers announced a $6.25 million gift to the university to support 19 Manasseh Cutler Scholarships. The scholarship program was founded in 1995 and modeled after Oxford University's Rhodes Scholars program for graduate students.
All charitable gifts to Ohio University are managed by The Ohio University Foundation, the fund-raising arm of the university. During fiscal year 1998, more than $25 million was raised in total private contributions from more than 25,000 donors. The Ohio University endowment, which currently stands at $192 million, is expected to provide the university with more than $7.75 million in academic, instructional and scholarship support this fiscal year.
The Ohio University Foundation, which is governed by a 49-member volunteer board, is an institutionally related non-profit and tax-exempt 501c(3) organization.