Donors to river campus recognized; places named in their honor

The board of regents on Friday named Southeast Missouri State University's visual and performing arts school in honor of Earl and Margie Holland of Fort Myers, Fla. Their cash donation -- the largest single donation in school history -- helped fund development of the River Campus.

The Hollands gave a seven-figure donation, school officials said.

They were among seven individuals and families honored at a ceremony Friday afternoon in the new music recital hall on the River Campus. About 200 people attended the ceremony.

The honored donors contributed more than $8 million of the $13 million raised by the foundation for construction of the arts school, university president Dr. Ken Dobbins said.

The others honored:

Donald Bedell of Sikeston, for whom the performance hall is named.

Rosemary Berkel and Harry L. Crisp II of Marion, Ill., for whom the Southeast Missouri regional museum is named.

John and Betty Glenn of Pebble Beach, Calif., for whom the convocation center is named.

Wendy Kurka and Gary Rust, whose contribution is reflected in the naming of the Wendy Kurka Rust Flexible Theatre.

Robert "Bob" and Marcy Shuck of Clearwater, Fla. The music recital hall is named in honor of Robert Shuck's parents, the late Robert F. and Gertrude L. Shuck, who lived in Cape Girardeau.

The late William "B.W." Harrison of Cape Girardeau, whose donation allowed the university to buy the former Catholic seminary building and property for development as an arts school. The east wing of the brick seminary building was officially named Friday in honor of Harrison and his wife, Hazel Huhn Harrison, as the Harrison-Huhn East Wing.

Harrison's wife died in 1990. Harrison died in 2004.

"B.W. Harrison is the original dreamer in our Dare-to-Dream project," Dobbins said.

Portraits of the contributors were unveiled during the ceremony.

The Hollands received a standing ovation as their portrait was unveiled.

Earl Holland grew up in Caruthersville, Mo., and later graduated from Southeast with a business degree. Margie Holland was raised in Hayti, Mo.

Earl Holland recently retired as vice chairman and chief operating officer of Health Management Associates, which operates more than 50 hospitals in 15 states. His various business enterprises made him an expert in the health management field, school officials said.

"This campus is beautiful," Holland said. "It's going to be functional."

The new campus will impress students, he said. "There are going to be some oohs and aahs when they get on campus," he said.