KU women’s leadership and philanthropy group hosts noted scholar Sept. 9

Advisory Board members Cathy Curless, Robbin Reynolds and Beverly Billings tour the University.

When Women Philanthropists for KU (WP4KU) kicks off the academic year in September, the year-old advocacy group will host a scholar who is campaigning for what she calls the “core American value” of generosity.

Claire Gaudiani, author of The Greater Good: How Philanthropy Drives the American Economy and Can Save Capitalism, will be the keynote speaker for the group’s luncheon at noon Friday, Sept. 9, at the Adams Alumni Center. A professor at New York University, Gaudiani will address the importance of philanthropy, especially for women, and the role women’s generosity has played in creating change in American culture and in higher education.

WP4KU formed in 2004 and is co-chaired by Lawrence resident Deanell Reece Tacha, c’68, chief judge of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and by Dallas resident Sally Roney Hoglund, c’56, a longtime KU and Dallas area volunteer and philanthropist. The group’s advisory board includes 33 KU alumnae, representing a cross-section of geographic locations, careers and volunteer backgrounds.

“Our mission is to increase women’s role in the life of the University by offering them educational experiences and access to volunteer leadership opportunities,” said Judy Wright, PhD’86, chair of the KU Endowment task force for WP4KU and director of The Chancellors Club.

Cathy Daicoff, c’77, said she hopes the organization will expand the ways women give to the University.

“KU has a rich heritage of students, alumni, benefactors and Kansans giving back to the University in many big and small ways,” said Daicoff, a managing director and senior credit policy officer at Standard & Poor’s in New York City. “I strongly believe WP4KU can become a catalyst for an even stronger network of giving. We only need to reach out to women who share a common passion about KU, providing new ways for them to make a difference in the quality of the students, teaching and research.”

For more information about WP4KU or to attend the Sept. 9 luncheon, please visit www.kuendowment.org/donors/wp4ku/ or call Judy Wright at (785) 832-7400.