SPRING 2010 a publication for donors and friends of Michigan State University $10.4M Gates Foundation grant bolsters African agriculture he Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has selected Michigan State for a $10.4 T million grant to connect African biosafety Gates Foundation opens regulators with advances in technology—an initiative aimed at reducing poverty and hunger agriculture education through sustainable food production. MSU is working in collaboration with the across Africa New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)—a socioeconomic development SU researchers will use a program of the African Union—to provide $950,000 grant from the Bill African regulators with the most current science- M and Melinda Gates Foundation based information to improve agricultural to help African Educators develop free practices. NEPAD works to stimulate Africa’s and open access to agriculture education development by filling gaps in agriculture, health, material, designed to improve agricultural education, infrastructure, science, and technology. practices and build a sustainable economy. “Michigan State University has a long- African farms are targeted in initiatives to reduce hunger and poverty. AgShare Open Education Resources is standing tradition of working with countries in such as costs and environmental and human an 18-month pilot project which will create Africa,” said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon. health safety. a virtual hub of resources and curricula for “This initiative fits very well with MSU’s mission Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, chief executive Master of Science degrees in agriculture, with in terms of building two-way partnerships for officer of NEPAD, noted that biotechnology can areas of emphasis in livestock, crops, and creating an enabling environment for science and contribute immensely to African development agribusiness. technology to flourish.” particularly as NEPAD works to promote Among the beneficiaries of the project The project builds upon a 2008 Gates innovation while safeguarding human health and are faculty and student researchers from Foundation grant MSU and NEPAD received the environment. “The partnership with MSU African universities, representatives of to establish the African Biosafety Network of will build the necessary capacity in biosafety and nongovernmental organizations, and farmers Expertise (ABNE) that is bringing expertise and biotechnology in Africa,” he said. from across the continent. resources to bear on issues facing African farmers Continued on page 2 Eli and Edythe Broad give additional $2 million to construct MSU art museum hilanthropist and Michigan State University new museum, designed by one of the world’s alumnus Eli Broad and his wife, Edythe, have leading architects, will become a contemporary art P committed an additional $2 million toward destination, and it extends our mission of enabling the construction of a world-class art museum that art to be seen by the broadest public.” will be built on MSU’s campus. Nearly $33 million in private funds has been This brings the Broads’ total gift to $28 million, raised for the project, surpassing the original the largest gift from two individuals in MSU’s $30 million goal established in 2007 before the history. The Broads designated $21 million for building design was completed. Latest estimates put construction of the building and $7 million to the cost at $40 million to $45 million and include be used for acquisitions, exhibitions, and several contingencies. The goal is to secure at least operations. $40 million in private gifts, leaving approximately “Edye and I are pleased to $7 million to reach the new goal. Gifts beyond this expand our commitment to create total will allow the university additional flexibility in a world-class art museum for completing the museum. MSU and the broader Lansing “The sustained commitment of our visionary and central Michigan region,” partners, Eli and Edythe Broad, underscores our said Broad, founder of The stewardship responsibility,” said MSU President Lou Eli and Edythe Broad. Broad Foundations. “This Continued on page 2 In This Issue Spartan Scholarship Challenge Bartlett scholarships to benefit Friend of MSU: builds momentum College of Music students Richard M. DeVos, Sr. Page 3 Page 5 Page 7 SPRING 2010 he Panda Charitable Foundation’s mission leadership of Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. and Panda to educate and create the next generation of the Panda Charitable Foundation,” said Ron Cichy, T leaders is certainly in harmony with the goal director and professor of The School. “They believe Restaurant of The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State that the future leaders of the hospitality and restaurant to recreate a state-of-the-art learning lab, and it took industries are the students we teach today. This is an only one dedicated alumnus to help orchestrate a new investment in their futures.” backs partnership. Theuer, who serves as a member of the CBLL project leadership team and as a member of The Culinary School’s Alumni Association Executive Board of Directors, has a strong personal commitment to the Business CBLL project, noting that it is important to him that The School, though already among the best in the nation, continues to be a leader. “As board members, Learning Lab we all understand that it starts with us,” he said. For more information about the Culinary Business Learning Lab or about making a gift to The School of Hospitality Business, contact Shelley MacMillan at (517) 884-1586 or at [email protected]. MSU alumnus John Theuer, CFO of Panda Charitable Foundation. Gates Foundation The school recently announced a $200,000 Continued from page 1 gift from The Panda Charitable Foundation, secured in part by Chief Financial Officer The MSU/NEPAD grant is part of the Gates John Theuer (’83, Business) to support the Foundation’s Agricultural Development initiative, groundbreaking Culinary Business Learning Lab which is working with a wide range of partners to (CBLL) revitalization project. provide millions of small farmers in the developing The Panda Charitable Foundation was established world with tools and opportunities to boost their by Panda Restaurant Group, Inc., whose flagship yields, increase their incomes, and build better concept, Panda Express, is the largest Asian quick- lives for themselves and their families. “Melinda ® service restaurant in the U.S. The CBLL, located on and I believe that helping the poorest small-holder the garden level of the Kellogg Hotel & Conference farmers grow more and get it to market is the Center on MSU’s campus, will showcase the latest in world’s single most powerful lever for reducing culinary equipment, sustainable building materials, hunger and poverty,” said Bill Gates, CEO. and optimal design concepts for use in food production management courses, special events, and executive For more information on MSU’s work in Africa and development programs for industry professionals. in African-related academic scholarship, see the special Panda has long been an active partner at Michigan report “MSU and Africa: A half century of collaboration” State. “This donation speaks volumes about the at http://special.news.msu.edu/africa. DEVELOPMENTS is published by: University Advancement Broad University Development Continued from page 1 Michigan State University 300 Spartan Way East Lansing, MI, 48824-1005 (517) 884-1000 Robert W. Groves Vice President for University Advancement Lois Furry, Editor Linda Dunn, Copy Editor Christina Schaffer, Copy Editor To remember MSU as a charitable beneficiary in your will, personal trust or retirement plan, it is important to do so accurately. The correct reference is: Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan and the federal tax identification number 38-6005984. To explore how you might remember MSU, please contact the Office of Gift Planning at (800) 432-4678 or (517) 884- 1000. If your estate/retirement plan includes MSU A view of the planned Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum from the northwest. Courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects. as a beneficiary, we encourage you to contact us to accurately record your intent and include you in the Anna K. Simon. “We are committed to realizing Teams from Hadid’s firm worked with university appropriate donor recognition group. the aspiration to render the Eli and Edythe Broad representatives as well as local architectural and Art Museum a place for transformative cultural construction firms to complete the design and experiences.” building plans. MSU will break ground on the Eli and Edythe Once completed, the museum will be three levels Broad Art Museum on March 16. The Broads and with approximately 46,000 square feet of space. Zaha Hadid, the internationally known Pritzker More than 69 percent will be gallery space where Prize-winning architect who designed the building, large art works will be able to be displayed. are expected to attend. The groundbreaking will be followed by 23 months of construction and a 2012 For more information about the Broad Museum, visit museum opening. the Web at www.broadmuseum.msu.edu. To view a fly through video of the planned museum, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wa8VMbUJh0. Michigan State University is an 2 affirmative-action,equal-opportunity employer. DEVELOPMENTS Spartan Scholarship Challenge building momentum ighteen new undergraduate scholarships “There is more to an alumni club than to cheer have been created and more than $1 million on our teams,” Glenn said. “It is also very important E has been committed in the newly launched to help students, especially at this time of great Spartan Scholarship Challenge. Officially launched need.” November 1, 2009, the program leverages part of a Among the first to step up to the challenge were $10 million gift in a novel matching program that a group of friends from within the University. This already has proven to be popular with donors and past fall, as MSU faced reductions in state funding, friends of MSU. over 130 faculty and staff donated their annual For James (Jim) Weigand (’78, MBA, Business) raises back to the university to support student and Tawnya Rowden (’73, ’86, Human Ecology), it was scholarships.