Stewardship Event
To celebrate the opening of the “Hail to the Chief!” exhibit, the University Libraries sent 202 invitations out to former high level donors to the library, and the archives; family members of past congressional collection donors; and select university administrators. Chancellor Robert Khayat sent a personal invitation to each member of the Mississippi congressional delegation.
On August 29th, Chancellor Khayat and Dean Julia Rholes welcomed thirty-five guests to Special Collections. Political Papers Archivist Leigh McWhite spoke briefly about the Modern Political Archives, the library’s debate-related activities, and the prevalence of items from donated collections in the exhibit before introducing the main speaker John Hailman. A UM faculty member and author of Thomas Jefferson on Wine (2007), Hailman spoke on “Uncovering the Secrets of the Founding Fathers and Mothers,” emphasizing how he conducted eighty percent of his book’s research in the J.D. Williams Library.
The library catered the event with wine vintages favored by President Jefferson as well as appropriate parings with fruit and cheese. Floral bouquets featured flowers and berries grown at Monticello. Before and after the event guests examined the exhibit cases.
Each person in attendance received a Keepsake of Presidential Portraits from Special Collections to commemorate the 2008 Presidential Debate. After the event, Dean Rholes sent a Keepsake to all those who could not attend, along with an accompanying letter describing the occasion.
In response to viewing the exhibit that day, Chancellor Khayat later donated to Special Collections two framed items containing a 1991 invitation to the White House, dinner menu, and photograph of the chancellor with President George H.W. Bush.
Stewardship events such as this permit the university to express its appreciation to the institution’s supporters and lay the foundation for future fundraising efforts. The goodwill generated is thus incalculable.
Related Materials
A variety of materials associated with the Stewardship Event