ANN ARBOR—Beyond the impressive list of donations and newly constructed buildings physically transforming University of Michigan’s North Campus is the thought-provoking goal of elevating the role and public discussion of the intrinsic value of the arts.

On March 27, the dedication of the Stamps Auditorium on U-M’s North Campus offers a symbol of that new direction—as well as bold display of the broad, multi-disciplinary support for that goal. The venue provides a state-of-the-art stage for the performance and ongoing discussion of the visual and performing arts at one of the world’s leading educational and research institutions.

For the public dedication ceremony at the 450-seat multipurpose facility adjacent to the Walgreen Drama Center, Penny and Roe Stamps—whose gifts continue to support a range of scholarly, student and creative work—will join U-M President Mary Sue Coleman.

A gathering of deans, dignitaries and students will celebrate what Coleman calls “the emergence of North Campus as a destination, a nexus of cutting-edge collaboration.” The Ann Arbor campus is home to the School of Art & Design, School of Music, Theatre & Dance, College of Engineering, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and School of Information.

Other Ann Arbor campuses include Central Campus, Medical Center Campus and South Campus.

The auditorium was named for Penny and Roe Stamps to recognize their significant generosity to the School of Art & Design and other units of the University. A $4.4-million gift from the Stamps announced in May 2006 includes $1.4 million endowment funds to cover ongoing maintenance of the auditorium. The balance of the donation provides merit scholarships to high-achieving undergraduates in six schools: the School of Art & Design; the School of Music, Theater & Dance; the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; School of Nursing; the College of Engineering; and the Department of Kinesiology.

To date, the Stamps have given $9.4 million to The Michigan Difference, the University’s fundraising campaign. Their gifts have supported the Stamps Distinguished Visitors Program, Witt Visiting Professors Program and Work gallery space on State Street in downtown Ann Arbor.

Penny Stamps, a 1966 graduate of the School of Art & Design, is co-chair of The Michigan Difference. Roe Stamps is founder and managing partner of Summit Partners, a venture capital firm based in Boston, Mass.

“The Stamps are visionaries and their generosity allows us to place a higher emphasis on the vital connection among the arts, education and building a deeper, more meaningful culture,” Coleman said.

The North Campus deans launched Arts on Earth, a campus-wide initiative, in 2007. The aim is to spotlight and sponsor a range of compelling events that explore the inter-relatedness among academic disciplines.

Last fall, Arts on Earth sponsored a three-day conference, Arts & Minds, which drew international scholars in an inspiring, wide-ranging discussion to investigate the connections among science, evolution and the arts.

The initiative also sponsored WorkPlay, a campus-wide competition that has awarded $20,000 in prizes for concepts to transform physically North Campus into a destination location. Winning entrants will be announced at the dedication.

“Our hope is to create more of a community, where people work, study and play closer together,” said David Munson, dean of the College of Engineering. “In the future, we’d like the core parts of North Campus to have more of an urban feel, while we preserve the natural elements and woods.”

Collectively, the new buildings and initiatives on North Campus underscore the momentum pushing the university into the vanguard of world-class educational institutions.

“We are profoundly grateful to Penny and Roe Stamps, for their generosity and their support of our goal to transform North Campus and the University to meet the 21st-century educational challenges,” said Bryan Rogers, dean of the School of Art & Design.

“Developing students’ creative talents—and creative thinking skills—is vital to preparing them for the emerging global culture,” he said. “Few educational institutions in the world conduct leading-edge scientific and medical research, and provide a nurturing environment for creative work.”

Details of the Thursday, March 27 Stamps Auditorium Dedication/Celebration include:

? 3:15 p.m.—Auditorium doors open.

? 3:30-4:30 p.m.—Dedication ceremony, including remarks by Dean Bryan Rogers, Dean Christopher Kendall, Provost Teresa Sullivan, Dean Paul Courant, Dean Dave Munson, President Mary Sue Coleman, Penny and Roe Stamps, Dean Doug Kelbaugh and performances by Professor of Music Walter Everett and U-M student Joel Acevedo.