Centralight

Giving CMU genetic theory BY DAN DIGMANN Bond alumni share with university helps Voigtmans stay connected There's something in their genes that's keeping Jon Voigtman, '84, and his wife, Terri (Matson) Voigtman, '85, connected to CMU. At least, that's how he explains their continued excitement and involvement with their alma mater that's nearly 750 miles from their New Jersey home. "I think everyone who attends Central develops this 'Maroon and Gold DNA' inside them. The friendships, education and experiences stay with you your entire life," says Jon, who earned a degree in business and is the managing director and global head of structured assets for Royal Bank of Canada in New York City. "No matter how far you are away from Mount Pleasant or how busy you are in your career or family, there is a bond that connects you to the institution and other alumni." Such a bond inspired the Voigtmans to selfl essly support CMU's eff orts to improve students' educational experiences. Through their generosity they recently named two classrooms and a seminar room to support the learning off ered in the Education and Human Services Building and to honor Terri's family members who dedicated their lives to teaching. In addition, in 2005 the couple established the Voigtman Family Endowed Scholarship to help a junior or senior pursuing a degree within the College of Business Administration. "We feel it's really important for Jon and me to give back to the university that provided us so many opportunities," says Terri, who earned a degree in education and now regularly volunteers at Laughton C. Johnson Middle School in Summit, N.J. Previously Jon held management positions at companies including EDS, Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs, and Terri taught special education at middle schools in Bridgeport, Mich., and Fairfax County, Va. The Voigtmans met when he was a junior and she was a sophomore at CMU, and they will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary next year. Their son, Kirby, will graduate from high school this spring. "I think CMU is an institution that all alumni can be proud of. Frankly, nothing fuels that pride more than connecting with faculty or contributing to an initiative, or coming back and talking with students about your experiences at CMU or since graduation," says Jon, a member of the CMU Development Board. "There are so many opportunities to connect, and I highly encourage other alumni to take advantage of them." • children in CMU's Child Development and Learning Lab in the Education and Human Services Building. Senior Portia McIntosh reads to 28 centralight spring '10 Kresge Foundation extends challenge grant timeline CMU friends still have an opportunity to support the enhanced learning and teaching environments created by the new Education and Human Services Building, as well as help CMU receive an additional $800,000 through their contributions. In recognizing the potential of this facility, the highly respected Kresge Foundation has extended the ending date of its prestigious challenge grant to CMU, which has until Dec. 31, to reach its $2.1 million fundraising goal. And Jon and Terri (Matson) Voigtman couldn't be happier. In addition to naming two classrooms and a seminar room in the building, the Voigtmans are actively encouraging others to support CMU's fundraising eff orts. The couple wrote and signed the letter CMU sent to prospective donors last November to encourage fi nancial support for the new building. The letter was developed following the Voigtmans' discussions with Ted Tolcher, interim vice president of development and alumni relations, about ways to increase awareness about the Kresge Challenge. "Terri and I talked about ways that we might be able to reach out to other alumni to help," Jon Voigtman says. "It was our hope that our message and pride in the building would resonate well with others who attended classes in Ronan Hall." To give: • Contribute online at giving.cmich.edu • Contact Jennifer Cotter, EHS director of development, at 989-774-1554 or jennifer.cotter@cmich.edu •

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