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During the inauguration of Dr. Dan Scholz as the 10th president of Cardinal Stritch University on Oct. 5, 2021, the University announced that Dr. Mary and Ted Kellner, respected leaders in the Milwaukee business and philanthropic communities, have made a $3 million gift to support students and the University’s literacy efforts. The gift is the largest in Stritch’s 84-year history.
“Our gift to Stritch is a sign of confidence in Dr. Dan Scholz’s presidency, and the academic and administrative team he is assembling to steward the future of the University,” said Dr. Mary Kellner. “It is a demonstration of our belief in Stritch, its mission and its purpose in our community.”
The gift will support a number of University initiatives, including:
- The Believers Scholarship Fund that benefits first-generation students, students of color and students who demonstrate financial need
- Expansion of Stritch’s innovative efforts around Literacy, an issue which the Kellners are passionate about
- Diverse programs, activities and high-quality services that enhance the Stritch experience
- The Santa Chiara Scholarship Fund, which continues the legacy of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, founders and sponsors of Stritch
The Dr. Mary and Ted Kellner Challenge Match, which encourages Stritch alumni, friends and supporters to demonstrate their support of and belief in the University, also was introduced at the ceremony.
“The entire Stritch family is incredibly grateful to Dr. Mary and Ted Kellner for their confidence in our University and our students,” said Dr. Scholz. “Their support has been unwavering over the last several years. Thanks to Mary and Ted, we have the opportunity to build upon the University’s legacy and provide a transformational liberal arts education in the Catholic, Franciscan tradition that prepares students for a life of leadership and service.”
“All members of the Board of Trustees and the senior administrators who serve on the President’s Cabinet and Deans Council have joined Dr. Scholz with their own philanthropic gifts in response to the Kellner Challenge Match” said Marc Barbeau, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Relations. “Collectively we too believe in Stritch and welcome our alumni, friends and partners to join us by demonstrating their support.”
Dr. Mary Kellner earned an Ed.D. in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service from Stritch in 2007. She has served on the University’s Board of Trustees since 2009. Mary and her daughter, Dr. Kristin Schultz, ’13, who earned a Ph.D. in Leadership with a focus on Clinical Depression and Meaning Making, are the first mother-daughter doctoral degree recipients in Stritch history.
Ted Kellner is Chairman and CEO of T&M Partners, a holding company for personal investments. In 1980, Ted co-founded Fiduciary Management, Inc., a $20 billion money management firm headquartered in Milwaukee. In 1984 he co-founded Fiduciary Real Estate Development, a real estate firm that today oversees $1.7 billion in assets, which consists primarily of over 8000 multi family apartment units in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota. He is Executive Chairman of Fiduciary Real Estate Development. In addition to his professional work, Ted has long served as a philanthropic leader in the state of Wisconsin. He continues to serve on he boards of Children’s Hospital, the Medical College of Wisconsin, and the UW Foundation. Mary and Ted’s generosity over the years has often focused on enhancing opportunities for those pursuing their educational dreams – from grade school through graduate and professional programs.
About Stritch – Cardinal Stritch University is a fully accredited Catholic institution founded by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi in 1937. Stritch is one of the largest Franciscan institutions of higher education in North America and offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate, certificate and professional development programs designed to help students develop new skills, gain career-related experience and build professional networks. Franciscan values are infused into the Stritch experience that prepares students of all ages, faiths, races and socio-economic backgrounds to succeed in the communities where they live, work, serve and lead.
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