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- Dr. John DeHaan's Bequest to Create Criminalists Professorship
- Romuald Hejna Bequests $10 Million to Polish Studies
- Dr. Robert Shales' CGA Supports Students, Provides Income
- Grateful Patient Bill Nolan and Family Support Robotic Surgery
- Engineering Alumnus Backs Mentoring With Scholarship Support
- The Annual Fund Impact
Dr. John DeHaan's Bequest to Create Criminalists Professorship
Dr. John DeHaan has tested theories his whole life. A self-defined science fair nerd, he was a “Mr. Wizard” fan as a kid who tried to split atoms in his parents’ basement. He’s since become a renowned criminalist and fire investigator whose proven theories have pivoted police cases and changed the courses of many lives. But it’s Joseph D. Nicol, DeHaan’s mentor and namesake of his bequest to UIC, who changed the course of his.
“Joe was a forward thinker who led by example,” says Dr. DeHaan, who studied under Nicol while attending UIC. “He was blunt and cynical, but improved fire investigation by relying on testing to challenge a number of theories on which the practice was based.”
Nicol supported and guided DeHaan while at UIC and through his early career. DeHaan has since authored the industry’s benchmark textbook on fire and arson investigation, started his own company through which he offers expertise and, most recently, given back to UIC in honor of his mentor.
DeHaan’s contribution will create the Joseph D. Nicol Professorship in Forensic Science. He hopes this will solidify a world-class educational program for aspiring criminalists, in turn strengthening the criminal justice system. He believes well-trained criminalists can accurately analyze physical evidence to balance out human error in determining who is responsible for crimes.
“This professorship boosts our already-competitive program’s visibility in the profession, supports our recruitment of outstanding faculty and students and helps us place alumni,” says Dr. Robert Gaensslen, head of the forensic science program in the College of Pharmacy. “We are thrilled by Dr. DeHaan's bequest.”
Criminalistics attracted not only the scientist in Dr. DeHaan, but also the part of him that wanted to have a positive impact on his world. His bequest to UIC is one example, among the many throughout his impressive career, of doing just that.
Learn more about bequests here.
Romuald Hejna Bequests $10 Million to Polish Studies
Romuald Hejna was by all accounts a simple but passionate man. He loved a good joke. He loved chocolate. He loved to travel. He was a history teacher. And he was a very private man.
So it may have come as a surprise to some that when he passed away this summer, he left a $10 million gift to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences for the endowment of two chairs in the History of Poland and one in Polish Language and Literature. The gift, which was the second largest individual gift ever received by UIC and the largest individual donation to the college, will transform the study of Poland and its culture and language in Chicago, the city with the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw.
"Mr. Hejna’s gift has ensured not only that the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will remain on the map for Polish studies—so vital already in Chicago with its storied and strong connections to Poland—but also that UIC will become a beacon for scholars who wish to research and teach in this specialization,” said Dwight A. McBride, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “He has left an enduring legacy, and in doing so, has given the college a legacy to nurture in the creation of the Hejna Chairs.”
Hejna often traveled to Poland to satisfy his profound interest in Polish and European culture and arts. His passion for Polish culture led him to UIC in the early 1990s where he found a thriving Polish community. In 1995 he funded the Endowed Scholarship in the history of Poland in the department of history. A few years later, he established the seed funding for the UIC Chair in the History of Poland. These prior gifts amounted to almost $500,000. But that fact was kept secret. Hejna’s generosity came with one strict caveat—total anonymity.
With his passing, Hejna’s veil of anonymity is lifted. Of the three chairs established because of his generosity, two will be called, in honor of his parents, “The Stefan and Lucy Hejna Family Chair in the History of Poland” and “The Stefan and Lucy Hejna Family Chair in Polish Language and Literature.”
“He was unassuming. He drove an average car. He didn’t put on airs. He didn’t live extravagantly,” said Carla Knorowski, formerly of the College’s Office of Advancement, who worked closely with Hejna.. “While he lived a simple life, it was a very rich one. He was loved and respected and he will be missed.”
Learn more about bequests here.
Dr. Robert Shales' CGA Supports Students, Provides Income
Dr. Robert Shales spent his young adulthood admiring an uncle who attended the University of Illinois. The first in his family to graduate high school, he dreamed of following in his uncle’s footsteps despite his family’s post-Depression financial hardships. But they made ends meet, and he was grateful to attend the College of Dentistry during World War II. A fulfilling and successful dentistry career later, he’s creating brilliant futures for future generations of UIC students.
“Since 1933 I’ve loved the University of Illinois,” says Dr. Shales. “My charitable gift annuity allows me to express my affection for the institution, help students and provide myself income in my retirement.”
Dr. Shales chose to fund a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) because offers a tax deduction, delivers lifetime payments and supports a cause of the donor’s choosing. For Dr. Shales, this was helping students. He dedicated his gift to the Sylvia Manning Scholarship Fund, which honors UIC's immediate past chancellor and provides need-based scholarship funds to cover an undergraduate's full financial needs.
"I know students can spend precious time and energy worrying about next semester's tuition,” says Dr. Shales. “The Sylvia Manning Fund represents my goal to make University study more comfortable for a deserving student, who can re-focus on study, research or community service."
All three of Dr. Shales’ sons graduated from the University of Illinois, which, added to his lifelong interest in the university, helped him stay connected over the years. In fact, he created a file for them, full of information about his gift, to emphasize the importance of service to others.
"I never would have dreamed, when I was starting out and times were lean, I’d be giving money to the university," Dr. Shales says. "My hope, in addition to helping students, is to encourage others to consider doing the same."
Learn more about charitable gift annuities here.
Grateful Patient Bill Nolan and Family Support Robotic Surgery
Bill Nolan has survived heart attacks, beaten lymphoma and withstood a ruptured gallbladder. But he needed extra help when, at 83-years-old, he was diagnosed with cancer, and his family had to scour the country for a doctor who would perform the complex procedure his condition demanded.
His children found Pier Cristoforo Giulianotti, MD, chief of general surgery at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago. Giulianotti is a pioneer of robotic surgery, in which physicians guide robotic arms to perform extremely delicate, minimally invasive procedures. The surgery removed all Nolan’s cancer, and he recovered quickly from the operation.
“It’s absolutely nothing less than a miracle,” Nolan says. “This surgery was pretty much my last resort.”
His daughter, Cyrena Nolan, was so impressed with the care he received that she made a $25,000 donation to the Advanced Robotic Research and Training Laboratory at the College of Medicine. “We could never repay UIC for the chance they've given my father,” she says.
The gift will help the College of Medicine train surgery residents and fellows in robotic surgery techniques, so they can provide patients with the same outcomes Bill Nolan has enjoyed. “We just want other people to have a wonderful experience like we had,” he says.
Engineering Alum Backs Mentoring With Scholarship Support
Ken Nelson walks the walk.
He’s offered leadership and mentoring to build a deep and lasting relationship with the College of Engineering and its students. But he doesn’t stop there. Through the annual scholarship he has supported for five years, Nelson, president of Clark Dietz, an engineering consulting firm, gives minority students who may have otherwise struggled a chance to follow through on the guidance he gives.
Senior Antonio Acevedo is a Clark Dietz intern and scholarship recipient. “The scholarship relieved my worry about paying for books,” says Acevedo. “After knowing Ken Nelson, I am convinced he is dedicated to his profession as well as encouraging engineering students to persevere.”
Nelson sees there is a constructive role to play within the industry and the college. He leads the College’s Civil Engineering Professional Advisory Council and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board. As an alumnus, he is a mentor who shares his professional experiences with students and evaluates their research. As a business leader and employer, he often offers UIC engineering students internships. As a donor, he is helping to create brilliant futures.
“The time and energy we offer the College of Engineering is backed up with financial support,” says Nelson. “To meet the demand for innovative, talented, hard-working engineers, we provide scholarships to counter increasing tuition and fees and assure young engineers graduate in a timely way.”
The Annual Fund Impact
Read more about the impact of giving within each UIC college and unit.