Support Students and Structure Needs
Millikin recently established two new funds to raise money for growing needs on campus. Your generosity can help students in need complete their degrees and bring renewal to one of Millikin’s iconic buildings, Kirkland Fine Arts Center, now nearing 55 years old.
Emergency Tuition Assistance Fund
This annual fund is aimed at providing tuition assistance to current students who, without these funds, would not be able to complete their degrees. Students will apply for funds if and when needed based on personal circumstances. It is not uncommon for a student to step away from Millikin without a degree due to lacking the ability to pay less than $5,000 owed.
Campus Historic Preservation & Restoration Fund
Each building on the Millikin campus has a story to tell — from the historic figures and events they have hosted to the generations of students they have served. Gifts to the Campus Historic Preservation & Restoration Fund safeguard the purpose and utility of our historic spaces for generations to come. One of Millikin’s top priorities is renewing Kirkland Fine Arts Center, now in need of restoration projects related to the stage and backstage area of the 1,903-seat Kirkland Theatre. Since its opening during the 1969-70 academic year, Kirkland has welcomed generations of patrons to enjoy productions and performances of all types. The renewal projects will help maintain the functionality and safety of the rigging system, orchestra shell and fire curtain that are necessary for productions in the Theatre.
The premier touring performance venue in the area, Kirkland is also a facility where Millikin students engage in the Millikin trademark of education — Performance Learning. In Kirkland Auditorium, Theatre students learn to operate a rigging system and Instrumental Performance students offer seasonal Wind Ensemble concerts. Student sound technicians learn valuable technical skills, and Millikin choral students participate in a weekend of beloved Vespers holiday performances.
Donors may also choose to designate other historic campus structures to benefit from this new fund, including Shilling Hall, once known as Liberal Arts Hall. For more information about supporting these essential campus buildings or to make a gift, visit www.millikin.edu/give or call the Alumni & Development Office at 217.424.6383.
Pam Mueller Named as Associate Director of Leadership Annual Giving
Pam Mueller serves as Millikin’s Associate Director of Leadership Annual Giving. A Decatur native, she previously worked in the healthcare field both as a treating clinician and as an account executive, working with individuals and companies to meet their medical needs. Outside of Millikin, she enjoys networking within the community and currently is an Ambassador with the Decatur Regional Chamber of Commerce and serves as a board member of Decatur Earthmover Credit Union.
Leave the Legacy of an Estate Gift
A legacy gift is a profound way to ensure that the values you hold dear continue to flourish. It’s a commitment that reaches beyond the here and now, touching lives for years to come.
By including Millikin University in your estate plan, you do more than support academic excellence — you create opportunities for future students to write their success stories. It’s a simple yet impactful way to make a lasting difference.
Millikin’s partnership with FreeWill offers a simple and accessible way to create your estate plan, at no cost to you. It’s a convenient process that allows you to plan for the future, communicate your wishes, and support the next generation of Millikin students.
Learn more today at bit.ly/LegacyMU or visit millikin.edu/types-planned-gifts.
Be a Volunteer and Help Empower the Next Generation of Millikin Students
At Millikin University, we believe that enriching the academic experience of our students will contribute not only to their success but to the continued success and legacy of the University.
Whether you live near campus or far away, you can be an important part of meeting this goal by becoming a Millikin volunteer. You’re invited to give of your time, expertise and experience to one or more of these initiatives:
- Share Knowledge: Engage in workshops, seminars or panel discussions where you can share insights, industry expertise and valuable advice with our students.
- Open Opportunities: Offer Performance Learning opportunities by becoming a mentor in your field of expertise for an individual student or student group.
- Show Support and Understanding: Participate in networking events, social gatherings or campus events.
For more information about these two opportunities or information about other ways to give of your talents and time to Millikin, visit millikin.edu/volunteer or email Associate Director of Alumni Engagement Kelsy Whitney ’13 at kwhitney@millikin.edu. Or call the Alumni & Development Center at 217.424.6383 during regular business hours of 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
