The Department of Music at the University of Missouri-St. Louis paid tribute to John Donald Robb’s legacy as a musician and educator by performing his work in a recent concert at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. But the night also became an homage to Robb’s daughter, Priscilla McDonnell, when it was announced after the concert that UMSL had established the Priscilla Robb McDonnell Music Scholarship.
A surprised and emotional Priscilla McDonnell received a standing ovation from the capacity crowd of 350-plus in the Touhill’s E. Desmond and Mary Ann Lee Theater. The scholarship will be funded by an endowment of $50,000 donated by Priscilla McDonnell’s husband, Sandy, the former chairman and chief executive of McDonnell Douglas Corp., now The Boeing Company.
“Sandy and Priscilla have long played an important role in helping to develop the character education and music programs at the University of Missouri-St. Louis,” said Martin Leifeld, vice chancellor for university advancement at UMSL. “And thanks to Sandy’s generosity and Priscilla’s devotion to the arts, an outstanding UMSL vocal student will receive this scholarship each year.”
The award was established to honor Priscilla McDonnell’s lasting influence on the lives of young music artists and the St. Louis music community. It also commemorates her father, a New Mexico-based American composer, ethnomusicologist, arts administrator and attorney.
Priscilla McDonnell is as an active volunteer, founding member of Opera Theatre of St. Louis and has been involved with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis and many other institutions throughout the region.
The scholarship will first be available to students enrolled in the fall 2009 semester at UMSL. Call 314-516-5526 for more information about the scholarship.
Lindenwood goes global
Lindenwood University plans to launch in 2009 a Center for International and Global Studies. The center will be at the heart of an expanded international studies program designed to foster increased diversity and cultural awareness on the campus.
Anthropology Professor Ray Scupin, Ph.D., developed the concept and will serve as the center’s director. He will work with Ryan Guffey, associate director of the center and assistant professor of international studies, to designate a physical location as an on-campus headquarters.
The center will manage the university’s international enrollment, which has increased an estimated 17 percent from 2007 to 2008 alone. At this time, 751 international students from 75 countries are enrolled at Lindenwood.
A new master’s degree in international studies will be offered in the fall of 2009, supplementing the existing bachelor of arts degree.
Long-term plans under the center’s direction include the creation of a peer-reviewed e-journal and a guest lecture series to increase cross-cultural exchanges.
For more information about the Center for International and Global Studies at Lindenwood University, please contact Dr. Ray Scupin at (636) 949-4730.
