2021年3月9日
作者:考特尼·斯坦沃尔，通讯助理
The upbringings of Dana and Sue Hockensmith on their family farms laid a foundation that has inspired them to support the Agricultural Learning Center at 和记棋牌娱乐.
通过他们的礼物, the Hockensmiths are joining the University’s Homesteaders society, a group of nearly 50 public and private donors providing gifts of $25,000或更多的项目.
Sue and Dana Hockensmith, who operate Lakeside Children’s Academy in St. 路易县, are giving back to Northwest through the support of the University's Agricultural Learning Center. (提交的图)
Although the Hockensmiths were not involved with the agriculture program as students at Northwest, their interest in the field stems from growing up and working on their family farms. When Dana and Sue learned of Northwest’s plans for the Agricultural Learning Center, 他们理解这种需求.
“It is so important for us to nurture our land for our students, to be able to respect what they learn through agriculture,苏说. “I think there are many farm values that are necessary in life. We learned through growing up on the farm, and we think that this will attract and retain students. I also believe that this is a way that we can enhance the stature of Northwest because this is going to give the University a competitive difference over so many universities around us.”
农业学习中心, for which the University and Northwest Foundation are raising funds, 正在西北地区448英亩的R.T. 赖特农场. 完成后, 它将作为一个多用途设施, providing classrooms and laboratory resources to supplement and enhance the academic curriculum.
估计的8美元.500万年, 29,000-square-foot center also will allow for research and scholarly activities centered on crop, soil and livestock resources as well as space for processing agricultural products. It will include space for public and private functions such as producer and agricultural industry meetings, 研讨会, 演出和职业发展活动, as well as the promotion of agricultural literacy.
For more information about the Agricultural Learning Center or to make a gift to support the project visit hsozhb.sh-fyz.com/ag/agcenter，请致电660.562.1248或电邮 advance@sh-fyz.com.
Having grown up on farms in northwest 密苏里州 and southwest 爱荷华州, Dana and Sue Hockensmith developed an appreciation for education and hard work. Sue was the oldest of five children on her family’s dairy farm in Lewis, 爱荷华州, 戴娜在皮克林附近的一个农场长大, 密苏里州. Dana attended Northwest for two years before transferring to the University of 密苏里州-Columbia to finish his bachelor’s degree and attend law school, while Sue graduated from Northwest in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.
“My parents expected that I would attend college, 我知道我想上大学,苏说. “当老师是我的梦想. Northwest was a quality school for education programs in addition to being 关闭 and economical.”
作为和记棋牌娱乐的学生, she was active on campus as a residential assistant and later head residential assistant at Perrin Hall. In 1970, 她被选为圣诞精灵, an honor bestowed by her peers to reign over the annual Hanging of the Greens Christmas festivities in Roberta Hall, although the tradition was discontinued the next year.
Sue also sang in Northwest’s Madrigal choir and the Tower Choir, and being a freshman orientation leader in 1969 gave her the opportunity to meet Dana. 他们于1971年3月结婚.
“我在和记棋牌娱乐真的成熟了，”苏说. “I was heavily involved at home, helping to care for my siblings. Northwest had good professors that taught students value, spent time with students and wanted students to succeed. 他们喜欢看和记棋牌娱乐出类拔萃.”
After completing her bachelor’s degree at Northwest, Sue dedicated herself to being a mother to her children – Philip, Angela and Laura – and volunteering in the schools and communities where the Hockensmith family lived.
She also enjoyed serving children with intellectual developmental disabilities. 1977年，霍肯史密斯夫妇创立了Pony Bird公司., 这是杰斐逊县的一个非营利组织, 密苏里州, that provides homes and care for non-ambulatory individuals with severe mental and physical disabilities. In 1989, Sue and Dana became more deeply involved in childcare because of Sue’s interests in education, and they continue to own and operate Lakeside Children’s Academy, 它于1992年在圣. 路易县.
尽管住在曼彻斯特, 密苏里州, on the opposite side of the state from Maryville, 苏仍然活跃在西北社区. 她在包租圣. 路易斯校友和朋友分会2008年, and she is serving her second term with the Northwest 校友 Association Board. Sue and Dana attend Bearcat athletics when possible, and Sue was honored with the 校友 Association’s 2015 Turret Service Award. Wearing Bearcat attire in the community gives her great pride.
“I feel passionate about Northwest just like I feel about my education,苏说. “I will be Forever Green because of the profound differences these four years made in my life. Northwest makes such a difference in the lives of our students and community. I am honored that 和记棋牌娱乐 is my alma mater. 我一生都是一只熊猫.”
