Eastern Michigan University receives $2.2 million gift from estate of Jean Noble Parsons

The following announcement is from EMU receives largest estate gift in school history, Feb. 5, 2008:

Eastern Michigan University has received $2.2 million from the trust of renown sculptor and potter Jean Noble Parsons (1929-2000).

The estate gift is the largest of its kind in the history of EMU. * * *

The trust includes $1.75 million in cash and $489,000 in property. The Parsons’ trustees solicited proposals following her death to establish a center in her name.

EMU will use the gift to establish the Jean Noble Parsons Center for the Study of Art and Science on 86 wooded acres near Traverse City and Interlochen. Programming for the center will maintain the natural state of the land and will be designed to foster interdisciplinary exchanges between artists and scientists.

According to the trust, Parsons outlined five activities to be accomplished with the money:

• establishment of a research center and wildlife sanctuary,
• an integrated artistic and scientific program for graduate students,
• use of the dwelling and property for intellectual discussion by researchers, professors and scientists,
• nature walks for observation and identification of flora and fauna,
• and public seminars on a range of artistic, environmental and spiritual topics.