Klipsch: $12M Marian Gift About Better Teachers
Marian University’s now-public, $250 million fundraising campaign has received a big boost. Fred Klipsch, the former owner of Indianapolis-based Klipsch Audio Technologies, and his wife Judy have donated $12 million to the university’s Educators College. President Dan Elsener calls the gift "a key moment in our history at Marian University." During an interview with Inside INdiana Business Television, Klipsch said the contribution will help continue his commitment to education reform and building a better pipeline of teaching talent.
The Educators College, which launched a year ago, will now bear Fred’s name and will establish the Judy L. Klipsch Angel Educators Scholarship for disadvantaged students looking to become teachers. "I doubt that anyone who has been successful can say they have not been impacted by teachers. Too many schools of education at other campuses are not as effective as they should be, and Marian’s new agenda is about producing better teachers and better leaders," he said. "And, they are going to accomplish that goal."
The campaign at Marian is aiming to raise $150 million by 2021 and the remaining $100 million by 2025. Klipsch, who serves on the university’s Board of Trustees, told Inside INdiana Business Multimedia Journalist Mary-Rachel Redman "I have concern about every child, regardless of where they live or what their parents’ income is, having access to a really good education. And I’ve been working hard for a long time trying to facilitate that in Indiana and at this stage in my life — I sold my company in 2011, the Klipsch speaker company — as I think about where I want the resources I’ve accumulated to go, what Marian and Dan Elsener, in particular, are doing with their Educators College is really special."
Dean Kenneth Britt says the gift will help the college be one of the "best developers of educational talent in the country." Elsener agrees, saying the support will make Marian University and Indianapolis "the envy of many great cities around the country, because of what it will mean for other people."
During the silent phase of Marian’s fundraising campaign, the school says it has raised more than $90 million.
Watch the full interview: