Maryland
Small Colleges In Missouri, Iowa And Maryland Receive Record Multi-Million Dollar Gifts
November was a very a good month for three small colleges, each of which has received their largest private donation in history. Evangel University (Springfield, Missouri), Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) and St. Mary’s College of Maryland (St. Mary’s City, Maryland) are the institutions announcing the historic gifts.
Evangel University
Evangel University, a private institution affiliated with the Assemblies of God denomination, received a $10 million donation from the David Green family, the owners of Hobby Lobby and Mardel. The gift has been established as a matching fund that will support several presidential initiatives, including completion of the university’s Valor Center, a new 70,000 square foot arena and fieldhouse.
This is the second $10 million donation given to Evangel by the Green family over the last two years, matching the largest gift received in Evangel’s history.
“We are grateful to the Green family for their continued support of EU,” said Evangel President Mike Rakes. “This second gift from the Greens is more than a spark, it’s an affirmation of Evangel’s impact on this generation.”
The matching gift will enable contributions by other university donors for select initiatives to be doubled up to $10 million over the next 12 months.
Luther College
Luther College, a Lutheran liberal arts institution, has received a historic $10 million gift from Michael and Nicole Gerdin and the Gerdin Charitable Foundation. The largest individual gift in the college’s 162-year history, it will be used for the expansion and renovation of the Regents Center, a faculty that’s home to some of the college’s athletic teams and doubles as its sports and recreation center.
“Today it’s my absolute joy and distinct privilege to announce this transformational gift to Luther College,” President Jenifer K. Ward said in the announcement. “This support is not only historic, it speaks to the strength of Luther’s reputation as a fine Iowa college destination and to our potential for future success.”
Michael Gordon is a 1992 graduate of Luther and currently serves as the chairman, president and CEO of Heartland Express, a trucking and logistics company in North Liberty, Iowa.
“I wanted to play college basketball, and I wanted to go to a place that had a good business school. I kept coming back to Luther,” Gerdin said in the announcement.“I talked to President Ward about what this upgrade could mean for Luther and the whole Decorah community. It is time for Luther.”
In recognition of this commitment, the facility will be renamed the Gerdin Fieldhouse for Athletics and Wellness.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) announced the largest private commitment in the public honor college’s history, a $4 million estate gift from alumnus R. Scott Raspa and his spouse, John M. Staples. The money will add to the school’s endowment and the R. Scott Raspa and John M. Staples Scholarship Endowed Fund.
“I am ecstatic that Scott has chosen to leave such a remarkable legacy for his alma mater: the ability to invest in programs and initiatives that will align with emerging trends, allowing the College to stay relevant in a dynamic world,” said St. Mary’s President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, in the announcement “His philanthropy is already impacting the College, having provided a six-figure leadership gift for the LEAD Fund during the quiet phase to help ignite the campaign. He has given us incredible momentum.”
After graduating from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Raspa began his career working for the Naval Air Station in Patuxent River, Maryland as a mathematician and computer scientist. He subsequently had a successful career in information technology, working for IBM, SGI and Oracle, from which he retired in 2015.
“As a college student, I took advantage of a wide range of opportunities outside the classroom and I want to help today’s students. I want growing the College’s endowment to be my legacy,” Raspa said.
Maryland
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Maryland
Michigan State Has Several Things to Fix Before Heading to Maryland
Michigan State’s football team emerged with a 16-10 win against Florida Atlantic, but it was far from a convincing victory. The Spartans struggled throughout the game, exhibiting a range of issues that need immediate attention if they hope to find more consistent success moving forward.
With less than a week to prepare for its next opponent, Michigan State has a critical opportunity to address these shortcomings and refine its game plan.
The win over FAU exposed several areas of concern for Michigan State, particularly on offense. The Spartans were plagued by poor execution and missed opportunities, with several drives stalling due to penalties and miscues. The offensive line, in particular, struggled to establish a rhythm, which led to limited success in both the running and passing games.
Quarterback play from Aidan Chiles was inconsistent, with errant throws and a lack of cohesion with the receiving corps contributing to the team’s inability to sustain drives and put the game away early.
Defensively, Michigan State managed to hold FAU to just 10 points, but there were still some worrying signs. Despite the Spartans having multiple interceptions and a safety, they gave up several big plays, revealing potential vulnerabilities in the secondary and raising concerns about the unit’s ability to maintain discipline and focus throughout the game. Missed tackles and lapses in coverage could prove costly against more formidable opponents, making it imperative for the coaching staff to address these issues in the coming week.
Special teams were another area where Michigan State faltered. On multiple occasions, the Spartans gave up more punt return yards than they should have because of missed tackles.
With less than a week before its next game, Michigan State has a valuable window to regroup and make the necessary adjustments. The coaching staff will need to focus on tightening up execution across all phases of the game — offense, defense and special teams. This includes refining the game plan, improving communication and instilling a greater sense of urgency and discipline among the players.
The Spartans cannot afford to let the issues that plagued them against FAU carry over into their matchup against Maryland. If they hope to be competitive as the season progresses, the team must use this time to correct course and demonstrate growth in all facets of its game.
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
Maryland
Maryland Weather: Be on Alert for Isolated Severe Thunderstorms
BALTIMORE – Scattered showers will give way to mostly cloudy skies Sunday, with a chance for isolated severe storms.
Expect overnight lows in the 70s after a warm air mass moved through. A cold front will bring another chance for an isolated strong storms on Sunday. The day won’t be a washout, there is the possibility of active weather in the afternoon and evening.
The front will bring bright sunny skies for Monday with low humidity. Perfect weather for the afternoon barbecue or last summer activity. Kids getting back to school this week should expect refreshing temperatures… possibly even a little chilly with overnight lows in the 50s.
High pressure will control our weather for the middle of the week. Expect sunny skies and low humidity through Friday. Overnight lows Tuesday and Wednesday will be in the mid 50s, with afternoon highs in the upper 70s. The chance of showers returns late Friday.
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