Endowments

The Delta College Foundation Board of Directors established this fund to honor Dr. Peter D. Boyse and mark his tenth anniversary at Delta.  He eventually served from 1993 to 2005 overall.  Both Pete and his wife Barbra are supporters of the President’s Speaker Series. This fund honors Dr. Boyse and his wife, Barbra who was a strong and supportive partner in her husband's work and the success he accomplished.

The Delta College Foundation raised nearly $1.6 million to establish the President's Scholar Program to honor Dr. Boyse’s leadership tenure. This fund was announced as a surprise at Dr. Boyse’s retirement party in June 2005.  

With an environment of openness and appreciation for all, the College embraces diversity as a core principle at every level of course development, engagement and human resources. The college as a whole benefits when many different perspectives are represented.  Dollars from this fund help to support student, faculty and community events that help to create a culture of diversity and inclusion.  This supports Delta's appreciation of the differences in identity, experiences, expertise, ideas and opinions of all people. 

The Delta College Planetarium in Bay City  was dedicated in 1997. The college secured an $8.75 million grant provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to design and build the center. Thousands of people visit each year to attend a planetarium show or special event. The facility houses a state-of-the-art planetarium and theater complex with a 50-foot domed screen, along with a rooftop observatory and sundial.   The Planetarium endowment fund helps to support program purchases, annual software and maintenance costs.

This fund was launched in 2006 utilizing funds contributed by a variety of local donors, along with additional unrestricted dollars held by the Delta Foundation.  These funds established the English Division Guest Lecturer endowment. Distributions from this fund are to be used at the discretion of the English division to allow visits from area speakers.

Authors and outside guests were the hallmark of Delta College’s Young Authors Day event, which was held from 1988 to 2006.  The biannual event served as a conference for area fourth, fifth and sixth grade students and impacted over 15,000 participants. The conference brought together many professional authors, illustrators, storytellers, and even musical performers who create and promote literature for children and who share with young writers and readers how they write or find motivation to create. This important gathering encouraged donors to contribute the funds that later established the English Division Guest Lecturer Endowment.

Since 1988, private donations have helped to establish the Delta College Global Education Program Endowment. Interest generated from this endowment helps to support Delta College's International and Intercultural Programs, which facilitate faculty, staff and community projects that foster a global perspective, respect diversity, value the environment and develop skills necessary to work and live in an evolving world community.

Delta College received a generous gift from the late Patricia L. and Robert W. Grant Jr. in support of the arts and humanities. The endowment provides two scholarships annually to Saginaw students who study art at Delta College. Additional funding is used to broaden students' exposure and involvement in the arts and humanities through Student Art Show honorariums, guest speakers, artwork purchase prize funding, equipment purchases and student field trips. Mr. Grant passed away in 2002. Mrs. Grant passed away in 2014.

Delta College started the Possible Dream Program in 1991 to encourage young, at-risk students to graduate from high school and attend college. We have enjoyed great success over the years in helping our area youth. The program began with 45 students and, since its inception, provides the opportunity for students from Bay, Midland and Saginaw Counties to experience educational and cultural activities, to which they would otherwise not have access.  Since 1991, the Delta College Foundation has held its highly successful annual fundraising event, A Chocolate Affair,  in support of this program. Proceeds from the event fund the program and have been set aside to build this endowed fund for future support.

The Sturm Family established an endowment to support the continuing programming costs of Delta College Public TV. DeVere Sturm was born in Pigeon, Michigan in 1931, to parents of German ancestry. During a visit to Germany in 1963, while visiting relatives in Bavaria, he met Zita Olga Ecker. Soon after this meeting, Zita moved to the United States, and they were married. DeVere and Zita have lived all their married lives on the family farm in Pigeon, which was homesteaded by DeVere's great-grandfather, August Sturm, who had emigrated from Germany.  DeVere helped to establish and was the co-owner of a steel foundry, Huron Casting, Inc., to which he devoted most of his professional career. Over the years, DeVere and Zita have been very generous to Delta College’s public TV and radio stations.

Melvin L. and Hilda J. Zuehlke believed in supporting their community and church through the giving of time and money. Through a donation from Mr. and Mrs. Zuehlke's estate, Delta College has been able to offer both scholarships and provide students with special financial assistance. Mr. Zuehlke worked for Eaton Manufacturing Company from 1940 to 1972, rising through the ranks to become general manager. Hilda J. Zuehlke  joined her husband as a volunteer in many community clubs and organizations. The couple established a foundation in their name, to continue giving back to the community where the need was the greatest.  Mr. Zuehlke passed away in 1998 and Mrs. Zuehlke passed away in 2001.

The Carlyon Endowed Teaching Chair was the College’s first Endowed Teaching Chair, first given out in 1994.  It was funded by donations in tribute to Delta College President Emeritus Don Carlyon and his wife, Betty. Mr. Carlyon served as President from 1964 until his retirement in 1992. This Chair Award encourages faculty to pursue a professional activity or project, which may include the development of new academic modules, infusion activities or service learning opportunities.  Don retired in 1992 and led Delta College to become a founding member of the League for Innovation in the Community College. 

Robert DeVinney was a Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Delta College from 1961 until his retirement in 1991. This award was first given in 2004 and encourages faculty to pursue a professional activity/project and related follow-up which may include the development of new academic modules, infusion activities or service learning opportunities. Bob is remembered for his dedication to students and as an innovator both in and out of the classroom. Professor DeVinney received the Bergstein Award for Teaching Excellence and the Don Laughner Award for Creative Change, which are both prominent recognitions at Delta College. He also helped Delta to embrace the comprehensive community college concept during the1960s as the leader of "The Summer Project", which the President, Don Carlyon, referred to as the single most important event in the history of Delta College.

First awarded in 2006, this award supports and rewards innovations that foster excellence and have a direct impact on student learning. Projects are encouraged to foster an integrated perspective on student learning through collaboration of multiple divisions or departments across campus.  The Ellucian Higher Education Endowed Teaching Chair was established by the Florida-based company that specializes in providing information technology services to colleges and universities nationwide.   Delta College has contracted for information technology services with Ellucian (previously SunGard or Collegis) since 1996.

The MacArthur Endowed Teaching Chair was first awarded in 2011 and is restricted for projects focused on the following subject areas: art, languages, music, literature, psychology or history. Proposals should set forth primary values exemplified by Ms. MacArthur during her tenure at Delta College: creativity and innovation. Eligibility: All full-time or adjunct faculty or Delta College staff.   Karen MacArthur is honored through this endowment that bears her name.   Karen began her employment at Delta College in 1982 as Director of Telelearning, and assumed the duties of Executive Director of the Delta College Foundation in 1986 and later led the College's Institutional Advancement efforts. During her tenure, the College’s endowment grew from a market value of $400,000 to more than $12 million, and the College received more than $50 million in contributions from the private sector.

The Robert R. “Dr. Bob” Zimmermann Endowed Teaching Chair was first awarded in 2020 to provide professional development opportunities for faculty members. Proposals must demonstrate the primary values exemplified by Dr. Bob during his tenure at Delta College, including his belief all students should be treated equitably, with an equal opportunity to learn.  Applications including general professional development projects for faculty members will be considered, including those working in areas of disabilities or different learning styles are welcome to apply.  Eligibility:  Faculty members who are directly involved in the teaching process.  This award was established by Dr. Stephanie and Dr. Ted Coopman in memory of her father, Robert “Dr. Bob” Zimmerman.  Dr. Bob joyfully worked at Delta College from 1980 until his retirement in 1995. Dr. Bob found teaching at Delta rewarding because his efforts resulted in both immediate and long-lasting gains for his students. He often said that he’d found his professional home at Delta College and greatly appreciated the opportunity to join the Delta community.