Clarke College President Joanne Burrows calmly stepped toward the podium in the conference room.
"Today is indeed an exciting day for Clarke College," she told the small crowd. "In fact, it is a historic day."
At a news conference Friday, Burrows announced the largest donation in the college's 166-year history with a $10 million gift from the estate of Marie Moles Miske, a 1942 graduate.
Miske died March 23, 2007, at the age of 86.
"With Clarke in her heart, she quietly planned and recognized an opportunity to provide lasting support to the college," Burrows said.
Miske named Clarke the primary beneficiary of her estate and chose to direct the bulk of her life savings to the college's endowment.
The endowment fund is invested for the long-term benefit of the college and to further its mission.
"Both modest and humble, Marie was practical in her thinking," Burrows said. "As was her nature, she wished to make a difference at the college she held so dear but she sought to do so in an unassuming
| other significant recent estate gifts Clarke College has received several significant estate gifts from alumnae in the past few years. * $1.8 million from the estate of Patti Ann Joyce (1962) in 2005. * $1.1 million from the estate of Mary Virginia Splinter Nicklaus (1943) in 2007. * $1.1 million from the estate of Mary Agnes Ronan (1921) in 2005. Source: Clarke College |
Burrows only met Miske twice, but the graduate left a lasting impression.
"She was a great lady," Burrows said after the news conference. "A classy, dignified lady, but fun."
Miske graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Clarke in food and nutrition. She served as a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II, and was stationed in the South Pacific as a dietitian in the Medical Corps under the Surgeon General.
"(Miske) spoke of how her Clarke experience prepared her for success in her career as a dietitian -- a path that provided her with worldly experiences," Burrows said.
Miske became a dietitian administrator who supervised 21 schools in the Evanston, Ill., school district and was employed by the Walgreens Co. for 15 years.
"We mourn the loss of Marie, yet we are reminded of the great love she had for Clarke College -- a love so strong that she wished to support it into eternity," said Thomas Lynch, chairman of Clarke's board of trustees.
"Marie's gift is not a gift of the moment," Lynch continued. "It is the gift of a lifetime and I cannot overstate the profound impact it will have on Clarke College."
