Messenger - Vol. 4, No. 2, Page 10
1995
Distinguished alumni give Colburn campaign a boost

     Anniversity of Delaware President David P. Roselle announced the
Campaign for Colburn Laboratory at a ground-breaking ceremony in May,
"The project is being made possible by a partnership involving the
University, the state of Delaware, corporations and foundations,
alumni and friends," he said. "Together with the commitment of the
faculty, staff and students in the chemical engineering program, our
mission will be accomplished in a way that will make all of our
partners extremely proud of us." The state is providing $15 million of
the $22 million cost of the project. The $7 million balance to be
provided by the University represents the campaign goal.
     Through Dec. 31, the campaign had received $4,357,000 in gifts
and pledges-$3,061,000 from corporations and foundations and
$1,296,000 from individual alumni and friends. According to Charles M.
Forbes, vice president for development and alumni relations, success
in raising the campaign balance of $2,643,000 will depend primarily on
the generosity of alumni of the Department of Chemical Engineering.
     "We are gratified by the early significant support from a number
of our partners in industry-most notably the DuPont Co., Hercules,
Mobil, Merck and Air Products, to name but a few," says Forbes. "But,
the reality of today's fundraising climate is that corporations, for
the most part, are not increasing their giving to higher education.
This means we must turn to our alumni and friends."
     A National Committee for the Colburn Laboratory Campaign has been
established to help the University reach its goal. The 17 members of
the committee, each of whom has earned a degree in chemical
engineering from Delaware, have distinguished themselves and the
University by their singular professional accomplishments. They also
have demonstrated great respect and appreciation for the education
they received at Delaware.
     Following his recent retirement as president of Chevron USA
Products Co. in San Francisco, David R. Hoyer, Delaware '53, decided
to devote much of his time to "the better institutions in this world."
One of those institutions was the University of Delaware, which tapped
Hoyer to serve on the Colburn Laboratory Campaign's National
Committee. For Hoyer, the Colburn campaign is a tribute to the
University's first chairperson of the Department of Chemical
Engineering, Allan P. Colburn, and his successors, Robert L. Pigford
and Jack Gerster.
     These three men, all now deceased, were "not only prominent in
their field, but also great gentlemen," Hoyer recalls. "These
gentlemen had a lot of class. I had the utmost respect for them."
     Another distinguished alumnus, Morton Collins, Delaware '58,
agreed to serve as chairperson of the Colburn Campaign National
Committee because industry/academic projects arranged by the
University gave his early career a jump-start. During his junior and
senior years, Collins worked as an intern for various petroleum
refineries.
     "That gave me a perspective that a student doesn't normally have
at that level. It gave me real-world experience," Collins says. "Over
the years, I have been immensely pleased to watch the department
continue to grow to the point where today it is recognized as an
outstanding center of chemical engineering and chemical engineering
education, not only in this country but worldwide."
     Other significant volunteer support for the campaign is being
provided by 24 alumni who are heading up individual fundraising
efforts at matching-gift companies that employ 10 or more University
of Delaware chemical engineering alumni. One-third of the department's
2,400 alumni work for, or are retired from, matching gift companies.
All corporate matching gifts to the campaign are counted as part of
individual's personal gifts.
     Alumni and friends interested in supporting the campaign may
contact the Office of University Development at (302) 831-2104.