Profiles of Giving
Dvorak Gives $3 Million To KBS
David G. Dvorak, M.D., first visited the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary in 1964 while doing an internship at Bronson Methodist Hospital. As a young surgeon, family time was scarce, and the Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) and the bird sanctuary provided a venue for many family adventures.
Dr. Dvorak has lived within two blocks of KBS since 1973. Regular visits to the sanctuary have allowed him to create memories with his children and now with his four grandchildren. The memories KBS has provided him and his family led Dr. Dvorak to make KBS and MSU a beneficiary of his estate. His $3 million gift will establish the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station Conservation Legacy Fund.
“It is vital that KBS have the resources necessary to thrive and grow into the future so that many other families and students can build lasting memories while continuing to learn about nature,” Dr. Dvorak said. “KBS has been significant to me for many years, and because of that, I wanted to support MSU in this way.”
“The Conservation Legacy Fund will provide the means to continue the legacy of connecting people to the natural world that will continue the vision that W.K. Kellogg had when he made the gifts that established the sanctuary, farm and educational programs at KBS,” Dr. Gross said.
If you would like more information on supporting the Kellogg Biological Station, contact College of Natural Science Assistant Director of Development Kate Powers at (517) 353-5962.
Hugh Gift Supports Science Leaders
Rudolph Hugh believes strongly that future
generations of scientists will greatly affect society’s
advancement. Professor Hugh’s optimism
has been reinforced throughout his career as he
helped prepare future doctors, pharmacists and
medical students. Over four decades, Professor
Hugh taught at George
Washington University’s
School of Medicine.
Supporting future leaders in
science is a goal Professor
Hugh believes will have lasting
value for many careers.
After all, it was during his
own education that he
received a scholarship that
provided him the means to ultimately achieve his Ph.D.
In return, he has established
an endowed chair fund to support promising scientists
working in microbiology and
molecular genetics. The
endowment was established
through a bequest in his will
and two charitable gift annuities
paying him a guaranteed income for life.
“I see great hope in young
people and in science,” said
Professor Hugh. “Allowing
individuals to follow their
instinct and work in areas
where they believe they can
make a significant difference
will continue to benefit society
for generations.
Supporting these promising
people with promising ideas
is both wise and rewarding.”
For more information about creating an endowment in the College of Natural Science, contact Development Director Suzette Hittner at (517) 353-1637. For information about making an estate gift, contact a planned giving officer at (517) 884-1000.
Rogowskis Honor Kostal Through Scholarship
With a chance to attend what he called “that other university down the road,” Ron Rogowski chose Michigan State University as the place to pursue a Master’s and Ph.D. in chemistry. It would prove to be a decision he would not regret, as it translated into a successful career in chemistry and business with PepsiCo/Quaker Oats, from which he retired in 2004.
“At the time I retired, I was
thinking about my career and
decided that a lot of the success
was due to the strong foundation
I received while obtaining my
degrees at MSU,” Ron said.
Faculty members – like Dr.
George Leroi, Dr. Robert
Hammer, and Dr.Wilma Bradley, to name a few—
all made MSU a special place in which to learn.
“One of my fondest memories of grad school was the time spent teaching undergrads in the then-new Chemistry Building,” he said. “Doug Kostal was one of my first students, and in that first quarter we got to know each other during long chemistry lab sessions."
"A mutual friendship grew out
of that experience. After graduation,
Doug taught high school chemistry in
DeWitt, and from what I saw, he brought a lot of
passion and enthusiasm to the job. His life was cut
short by cancer, and that always left me wanting to
do something to honor his life and his work. My wife and I decided that setting up a
scholarship in his memory would be a good way to
ensure that his legacy as a high school teacher in
science would be remembered.”
Ron and Sharon created their gift with an endowment which ensures the long-term stability of available funds for their intended purpose. Chemistry teachers, and all science teachers, are in short supply, and the Rogowskis hope this fund will support current students and ultimately encourage others to enter the field.