Date: Jan 24, 2008

Hofstra Receives $90,000 in Gifts for Museum Programs and Community Outreach

Art programs for children and families, Hofstra for Hempstead/Hempstead for Hofstra scholarships to benefit

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – Two gifts to Hofstra University totaling $90,000 from JP Morgan Chase and the Bethpage Federal Credit Union will support the Hofstra University Museum’s special art education programs and the University’s family festivals, as well as the Hofstra for Hempstead/ Hempstead for Hofstra scholarship program.

“The Hofstra University Museum is most grateful for the generous financial support of both Bethpage Federal Credit Union and the JP Morgan Chase Foundation, whose recent gifts will bring two new key community educational initiatives to life,” said Hofstra University Museum Director Beth Levinthal.
 
A $40,000 gift from JP Morgan Chase will support the development and launch of Chase Art Travelers Through Time: Literacy and History through Art at the Hofstra University Museum.  "This dynamic program targets first through sixth-grade students in the Hempstead, Uniondale, and Westbury school districts, and will enhance learning in the areas of history and language arts through first-hand explorations of authentic objects in the Museum's collection,” Ms. Levinthal said. “A trained professional museum educator will work with students and educators to align and integrate the program into classroom curriculum.  Funding from the JP Morgan Chase Foundation will assure that children will be introduced to the excitement of learning in a museum setting, as trips to the Hofstra University Museum will be underwritten with the funds.  Another significant benefit of the program will be the strong partnerships and collaborations that will form between the Hofstra University Museum and the educators within the participating districts."

A $50,000 gift from the Bethpage Federal Credit Union will initiate Museum Family Art Activity Centers at all Hofstra University festivals, introducing toddlers through adults to the joys and wonder of art, Ms. Levinthal said.  Those centers will be found at the annual Irish (March), Dutch (May) and Italian (September) family festivals held on the Hofstra campus.

The Credit Union gift will also continue its ongoing support of the Hofstra for Hempstead/ Hempstead for Hofstra program, which provides scholarships to Hofstra for graduating high school seniors from the village of Hempstead.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 145 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 22 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence, cutting edge technology, extensive library resources, internships and special educational programs that appeal to their interests and abilities.  The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.