In 2004 School of Human Ecology alumna Nancy Johnson Nicholas, with her husband "Ab" Nicholas, provided the $8 million lead gift for the building project. Eight years later, the name "Nancy Nicholas Hall" will grace the new entry at the Link - where the addition and the existing building converge (see image to the right)Click here to read the news story:
http://www.news.wisc.edu/19561
I remember the event hosted by Dean Douthitt to announce the lead gift -it was far from the stuffy and formal press conferences you might expect. It was an ice cream party where the whole school was invited to celebrate with Nancy and Ab Nicholas. Faculty, students, staff, friends from campus all came for a scoop and a handshake, to personally thank Nancy and Ab. The Dean had asked the preschool children to draw pictures of what they would like to see in a new building, and she had the drawings bound and presented it to Nancy - a brilliant and very personal gesture.
I went to the party and offered my thanks to which Nancy said "oh my, don't thank me" and she was quite sincere. After a few minutes of mingling and chatting, I walked back to my office thinking "oh how nice, a new building" - I had been part of the staff for less than a year. Little did I know what was in store.
The Nicholas family together has most generously supported the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Their quiet philanthropy is a marvel.
Oh, and a note about the children's ideas for what should be in the new building - unfortunately for this project we were not able to accommodate requests for a pool, a candy mountain or a lot of ponies. Those notes are in my file for "Building Project Phase Two: Expansion to the East."
