Your Gifts at Work

One may not immediately associate the importance of crystal engineering in the treatment of kidney stones.

The Carey Shuart Women’s Collection and Research Archive at UH Libraries began as a dress box full of old papers collected by and about Carey Shuart’s grandmother, Blanche Espy Chenoweth. Chenoweth was an advice columnist, radio personality and lecturer during the early 20th century. Preserving her legacy was the impetus behind Shuart’s gift to name the Women’s Collection, the very first Special Collection within UH Libraries to become a named collection.

“Why take out the IRA money and be taxed at a higher rate, when I can transfer the full amount to the University of Houston?” John Zaccaria asks. UH is the Zaccarias’ “university-away-from-home.” Tending to see UH as the cultural center of Houston, they both love to take in theater, dance and opera at the University. They give generously to Houston Public Media and the Moores School of Music, but their deferred gift to a permanent endowment is the one they are the most excited about. “Managed properly, the University will get more out of this gift in years to come,” John says. In his view, the possibilities are endless.

After forty plus years as a respected school administrator, Frank Lemmon (’60, M.Ed. ’64) and his wife, have decided to give an IRA Charitable Rollover gift to the Office of Gift Planning at the University of Houston. “Hugh Roy Cullen envisioned the University as a ‘working man’s college’, and it was that. I worked fulltime during my bachelor’s degree and for years while I earned my master’s degree in education,” Lemmon reflects. “University of Houston is such a different school now. There have been so many positive achievements and the number of kids living on campus now is so high—it’s great to see!”

Exxon Mobil employees and retirees — along with the ExxonMobil Foundation — contributed nearly $931,000 in gifts and matches this past year. Such a substantial contribution is possible only through ExxonMobil’s industry-leading matching program, one which matches gifts three-to-one. One of our many donors, Al Vela (’62) shares with us his reasons for giving to the generous matching program.

A world-class faculty brings prestige to our University, facilitating innovative research projects and helping to recruit students. Philanthropy plays a key role in bringing these professors to UH through the funding of endowed chairs and professorships. In the field of engineering, the number of National Academy of Engineering (NAE) members on faculty is a direct reflection upon a school’s reputation, and your gifts to endowed professorships and endowed chairs attract these distinguished faculty members to our Houston campus. In this article, we spoke to Ph.D. students at the Cullen College of Engineering about how NAE professors — many of whom receive funding from endowed professorships or endowed chairs — make their UH educational experience stand out.

The difference between outdoors and indoors couldn’t be more stark.

Dean Dana and Dr. Charles “Mickey” Rooks have proven, both through their gifts and as faculty, that dedicated individuals can truly change a University’s course.

Paul Likhari has a key piece of advice for UH students: “Take every challenge that comes your way.”

Some people know where their passion lies and what they want to be when they grow up from the time they’re children. For others, that realization may come during college or even later during their adult years.