Colleges get grants from Kemper fund

Stephens, Columbia win $25,000 each.

By YADAMSUREN BORCHULUUN of the Tribune’s staff
Story ran on Saturday, July 08 2000

Stephens and Columbia colleges were recognized for their contributions to higher education recently when the William T. Kemper Foundation gave each a $25,000 grant.

The grant to Columbia College will launch a distance-learning program, while the money for Stephens will support its capital campaign.

About 8,000 students from Columbia College and its 22 extended campuses nationwide will benefit from the distance-learning program, which is scheduled for formal introduction in January.

"The main purpose of the distance-learning program is to allow students to complete their courses quickly," Columbia College president Gerald Brouder said.

The college will offer 15 courses on the World Wide Web, supplementing the curriculum offered on its extended campuses and at 11 military bases. Soldiers, sailors and Marines deployed overseas will be able to use the Web-based courses to continue their studies.

"A variety of courses - ranging from history to math, social science and whatever is needed - will be offered online," Brouder said.

Tuition for distance learning will be $130 per credit hour, the same as evening courses at Columbia College.

"The largest amount of the grant will be spent for faculty development to train them in specific teaching techniques online," Brouder said.

The grant to Stephens is designated for The Campaign for Stephens: It’s Her Turn, which is intended to strengthen the college’s endowment and operating fund, and to support capital projects in learning resources, building renovations, academic equipment, technology, student services and the living environment.

"By investing in our future, the foundation is helping to ensure innovative, high-quality education for generations of women to come," vice president for advancement Colin Kilpatrick said in a prepared statement.

The two-year $30 million campaign was formally initiated in November 1999. About $18 million has been raised to date.

Kilpatrick said the campaign has paid for construction of the Silverstone Sports Arena and $3 million worth of endowed scholarships and ongoing renovations to residence halls and the campus.

The Kemper Foundation gives grants to qualified groups and organizations in education, health and human services, the arts and civic improvements. It is perhaps best known for its Kemper Fellowship Awards, which each year are presented to 10 outstanding MU faculty members.

Commerce Bank administers the Kemper Foundation funds. "Supporting higher education is one of the primary goals of our foundation," Steve Erdel, president and CEO of Commerce Bank, said in a written statement.

Executive vice president Teresa Rouse said the grants to colleges bring benefits that ripple through the community. "It will help to make Columbia a more attractive place to work," she said.