Development | North Central College

A Legacy of Building Friendships Abroad

From as early as 1875, the College had developed ties with Japan and China through the mission work of the Evangelical Church.

From as early as 1875, the College had developed ties with Japan and China through the mission work of the Evangelical Church. The exposure to the Church encouraged students in Japan and China to attend North Central College for their education. Henry Tayama, Class of 1893, became the first student from Japan to graduate. Fumiko Miyagi ’24 returned to Tokyo to become a renowned artist and humanitarian and a professor of art at Japan Women’s University.

Ways to Give

Naming Opportunities

Giving

A Gift Becomes a Retreat

A Naperville couple who first learned about North Central College through an invitation to a Presidents Club dinner several years ago has donated a wooded 43-acre parcel near Dixon, IL, to the College. Dick and Deanna Mandel are not alumni but have forged close ties to the College through friendships and as supporters of the fine arts. The property they donated is valued at about $2 million and includes a modern home with more than 7,000 square feet.

The Schneller Family Legacy

The Schneller sisters’ generosity will leave a lasting legacy at North Central College. Their philanthropy, announced following the death of Mary Schneller ’33 Rosar in January, when combined with earlier contributions, will provide direct benefits to students for generations to come and create a total endowment of nearly $10 million, among the largest in North Central College’s nearly 150-year history.

Sharing

The beautifully restored Victorian mansion at 28 S. Loomis Street holds a treasure trove of history—and represents a gift of the heart to North Central College by former owners Bartley and Maricela ’99 Madden. Their foresight to preserve the historic home by giving it to the College will long be remembered as an example of extraordinary generosity.

“We spent nine years restoring the home and we felt it would be best in the College’s hands—and the College would get the benefit of using the house,” explains Bartley Madden.

Connecting

Leadership in the community and leadership at North Central College—those two passions are united in the dedicated trustees who shared the vision for a world-class fine arts center for a world-class city.

Envisioning

As Dr. Myron Wentz ’63 reflects upon important moments that inspired his leadership in science, entrepreneurship and philanthropy, there’s a common theme: “All my major decisions in life have been in response to ‘This Should Not Be.’”