John Mathews Friel Memorial Arts Lectureship – Established 1973

The John Mathews Friel Memorial Arts Lectureship supports biennial lectures, including speakers, advertising, and the activities related to lectureship.

The fund was established in memory of John Matthews Friel, a Liberal Arts graduate of the WSU class of 1962. John Mathews Friel passed away on June 9, 1971, but his memory continues through lectures, gallery events, seminars by nationally and internationally recognized artists, art historians, art critics, and art educators.

Luigi Gastaldo & Flora Brevette Rosa Buy-A-Busload-of-Kids-Program – Established 2008

The Buy-A-Bus program supports funding for school buses, drivers, and travel expenses for grades K-8 from 16 surrounding counties.

Eugene Rosa created the Buy-A-Busload-of-Kids endowment in honor of his parents, “who though of meager education, held education as one of their highest values.” Eugene Rosa was an environmental sociologist who continuously contributed to Washington State University, and the local community. Rosa’s career was focused on understanding the relationships between technology, the environment, and the social world. As an artist, Rosa created “ecolages,” by re-purposing abandoned objects, and furthered his appreciation of the arts by connecting with the Museum of Art at Washington State University. Eugene Rosa, who passed away in 2013, frequently visited the art museum.

“Many people find art, especially abstract or provocative art, intimidating. This may even be more true of those who, by virtue of rural residence, have little or no exposure to the great museums clustered and distanced from them in urban areas.”

Eugene Rosa

Learn more about the Buy A Bus program and our work today.

Robert J. and Joan W. Jarvis Endowment – Established 1995

The Robert J. and Joan W. Jarvis Endowment supports education and educational programming to further appreciation for the arts.

In 1938, three young women spent six months traveling by bicycle through Europe. It was the eve of World War II, and Joan Jarvis and her two good friends saw everything from monasteries to art museums, as well as evidence of the coming war. Returning to Washington, Joan gave some 100 speeches on her travels before marrying Bob Jarvis, whom she had met as a student at Washington State College. Both earned degrees in 1937; Joan in English, and Bob in electrical engineering. “Then the war snapped us up,” said Joan.

Bob served with the 47th Engineers, a battalion of advanced engineers who prepared islands for occupation by American forces. When he returned home in 1945, he and Joan moved to Ephrata, then settled in Spokane. In 1949, their daughter, Constance, was born.

For most of his career, Bob was a partner in Ace Concrete, retiring before continuing to work with Central Pre-Mix. He is now truly retired and working happily for various charities. Joan was a volunteer in her community and served as a docent for the Seattle, Bellevue, and Spokane art museums. Joan’s trip to Europe sparked her love for art history, and she and Bob established the Robert and Joan Jarvis Endowment for the WSU Museum of Art. The fund advances the museum’s mission of educational outreach and will also further appreciation for the arts, sparking interest for generations to come.

Mildred Bissinger Museum Endowment – Established 1998

The Mildred Bissinger Museum Endowment supports exhibitions, special guest lectures, unique learning opportunities, community involvement, recognition programs, honorarium and/or speaker fees, travel, wages, and benefits for the endowment purposes. Mildred Sherrod Bissinger grew up in Tekoa, Washington, and graduated from Washington State College in 1933 with a B.A. in English. For many years, Mildred maintained a deep interest and loyalty to WSU, supporting several areas of the university, including the Libraries, the Potter Fund, and the Museum of Art.

In her time, Mildred underwrote museum exhibitions, staff development and general operations, and donated many fine prints for the museum’s collection. This endowment is an expression of her sincere belief in the museum and its role in the education of WSU students, and solidified her desire to see the museum flourish in the future. It is also a testimony to her own belief in the arts as vital for life as well as a testimony to her life, lived in enjoyment of the arts.

Timothy A. Manring Endowment – Established 1997

The Timothy A. Manring Endowment supports education and curation at the art museum, including funding symposiums and conferences, publications, educational outreach, and support for primary, secondary, and college education.

Timothy A. Manring was born in Pullman of a pioneer farm family. He graduated from WSU in 1962 with a B.A. in Liberal Arts. As a student, Tim served as WSU student body president, before starting his career as an international lawyer in business.

Tim first became involved with the art museum in 1984 when he contributed parts of his personal collection to the Fabric Traditions of Indonesia exhibition.

Robert A. and Winona P. Nilan Endowment for the Director’s Fund for Excellence – Established 2007

The Robert A. and Winona P. Nilan Endowment for the Director’s Fund for Excellence supports learning, enjoyment, and excellence in all projects central to the mission of the museum. Projects may include exhibitions, educational programming, and art acquisition.

Robert A. and Winona P. Nilan supported the museum for many years. They created the Director’s Fund for Excellence as commitment to the museum’s historic vision of “a place where people of diverse backgrounds can encounter exceptional examples of innovation and creativity within a context that fosters understanding and inspiration.”

The fund’s creation recognized that some of the most profound experiences arise outside normal scheduling practices, fueling support for opportunistic thinking and flexibility to seize opportunities beyond the scope of long-term planning. Such opportunities are defined as exceptional, world-class, and uniquely nurturing to WSU values and community engagement.

Kelma H. and James F. Short Endowment – Established 1996

Support projects that may include, but not limited to exhibitions, educational programs, and purchase for the collections.

Kelma H. Short and her husband James F. Short, Jr. were collectors and art lovers, who were closely involved with the art museum since its inception. Jim helped lead the efforts to establish the museum in 1974, and then, 20 years later, he also oversaw museum governance. Kelma served on the board of the Friends program, including as President. Together, they hosted many museum functions, loaned, and donated art to the museum. Their endowment supports exhibitions, educational programs, and art acquisitions. The Short’s were among the most committed of the museum’s supporters, sharing their appreciation of the arts through the museum to the community and beyond.

Samuel H. and Patricia W. Smith Endowment – Established 1989

The Samuel H. and Patricia W. Smith Arts Endowment Fund supports exhibitions for the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.

Dr. Samuel H. Smith served as the eighth president at Washington State University from 1985 to 2000. During their tenure, he and his wife, Patricia, demonstrated a strong interest in the arts by supporting a wide variety of related programs at the university. Patricia served as an active volunteer for the art museum, serving in several capacities. Both Sam and Pat were instrumental in the drive to fund the new Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU (JSMA), and continue to believe in the museum’s mission.

Carol E. Gordon and Mary Lou Enberg Art Acquisition – Established 2010

Carol E. Gordon and Mary Lou Enberg both retired from the WSU Department of Physical Education for Women in 1983. Upon retiring, they spent much of their time traveling and collecting art. They especially loved visiting galleries in Santa Fe and San Francisco, where they purchased many of their favorite pieces. In 2008, Mary Lou sadly passed away. To honor their long friendship and love of art, and to extend and perpetuate the joy this brought to their lives, Carol decided to set up a fund with the art museum which will is used to acquire and maintain art for the museum’s permanent collection. This fund extends Carol and Mary Lou’s personal passion for collecting art, honoring their friendship and sharing it with the greater community.

Holland Orton Endowment – Established 2015

Established in 2015, this endowment supports the growth, care, and access to the museum’s permanent collection. The endowment is named in honor of President Ernest O. Holland who was instrumental in establishing the museum’s first collections as well as Regent Charles W. Orton who contributed funds to support Holland’s ambitious collecting efforts at a time when resources were scarce.

Neill Permanent Collection – Established 1997

The endowed fund was established in 1997 with a generous gift from Robert and Virginia Neill, who were longtime Pullman residents and Friends of the art museum. Robert and Virginia Neill took special interest in the museum for its role as a guardian of the artistic history of the university, the region, and the nation.

The Neill Permanent Collection endowment supports funding for the conservation and preservation of the museum’s collection, ensuring the collection’s longevity of service to the public for future generations of learners and art enthusiasts.

Museum of Art Friend’s Fund – Established 1987

In 1987, the university art museum established the Museum of Art Friends Fund Endowment. Support for this project came from the director of the museum, Patricia Watkinson, and the Friends of the Museum board, who were tireless fundraisers of the museum. The Friends of the Museum were a group of museum members who not only donated but also volunteered their time and effort to support the museum’s mission and vision. Their dedication to the museum came in many forms, and resulted in a tightly knit art-enthusiast community who enabled the art museum to share the wonders of art with WSU students, the region, and the nation.

The Museum of Art Friends Fund supports daily operations, exhibitions, education, marketing, and impacts our visitors, staff, and students.