Winter 2008 - Virginia State University

26DEVELOPMENT BRIEFSPrivate Foundation AwardsThe Cameron Foundation has awarded VSU a$25,700 technical assistance grant that will pave theway for substantially larger gifts designated to thecreation of VSU’s first museum for arts and culture. VSUhas embarked upon a collaborative effort with thePetersburg Area Art League (PAAL) to establish whatDean W. Weldon Hill has dubbed “an epicenter ofcultural arts” for Old Town Petersburg. PAAL, a wellknownlocal arts group, owns a historic building in theheart of downtown Petersburg. PAAL has reached anagreement with VSU to share space in order to expandits own programs and provide a home for theUniversity’s future museum.VSU’s museum is currently scheduled to open inJanuary, 2009, with a special exhibit entitled “the Art ofAfrica” – a special collection of Warren Robbins, formerdirector of the Smithsonian’s African Museum.The E. Rhodes and Leona B. CarpenterFoundation has awarded VSU $30,000 to supportpublic performances of an important compilation ofclassical piano pieces entitled 24 Negro Melodies.This collection was composed at the turn of the 20thCentury by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, an Englishman ofAfrican descent. 24 Negro Melodies has tremendoushistorical and musical significance, as the collectionrepresents the first substantial body of classicalcompositions to incorporate music from Africanmelodies and Negro Spirituals.Dr. David Shaffer-Gottschalk, assistant professor inthe Music Department, will be conducting live publicperformances/performance lectures in Richmondthroughout 2008. A highlight of the grant will be a onehourprogram during Black History Month, to be airedon WCVE, the local public radio station for the GreaterRichmond area.A two-disc CD set of Dr. Shaffer-Gottschalk performing24 Negro Melodies is available for purchase. Contact theVSU Office of Development at (804) 524-6986 for details.LIFTS EndowmentOne of the newest projects at VSU’s Office ofDevelopment is the establishment of a permanentendowment for the Lower Income Families withTalented Students (LIFTS) program.A brain-child of President Eddie N. Moore, Jr., thisprogram is a first-of-its kind effort among statesupportedHBCUs that is intended to meet 100% ofa qualifying student’s financial need.According to President Moore,“Other schools withinVirginia have developed programs similar to LIFTS,but I can’t recall another HBCU, particularly a statesupportedHBCU, that has put into place such a farreachingguarantee.”Among other eligibility criteria, a qualifying applicant’sfamily income must be twice below the federal povertylevel. Additionally, the applicant must meet specificrequirements for GPAs and standardized test scores.The need for financial assistance from the LIFTSprogram far exceeds the program’s ability to help. Thispast year only 40% of all qualified applicants receivedaid. To date, funding for LIFTS scholarships has beencobbled together each year. Clearly, the program needsa dedicated source of funding that can grow for yearsto come.The Office of Development is working to identify initialdonors to contribute toward a LIFTS endowmentscholarship fund. VSU’s goal is to raise at least $100,000for the Lifts Endowment by January 2009. If you areinterested in making a contribution toward the LIFTSEndowment, contact the Office of Development at(804) 524-6986. VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY