With a banner (and t-shirts), Northwestern officials came prepared to announce the newly christened Bienen School of Music. Henry Bienen may leave his post as university president in a little more than a year, but his name will stay with the school “forever more.” “It’s my honor and pleasure to announce that our world-renowned school of music here at Northwestern University will be newly named the Bienen School of Music,” Patrick Ryan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, told a crowd of more than 50 people outside Lutkin Hall on Tuesday. The school will become the only one at Northwestern named after a university president, and is unusual for not having a financial donation attached to its name — Weinberg, McCormick, Feinberg and Kellogg were all named after multimillion-dollar donations from namesake benefactors and foundations. To include Bienen’s wife, who, according to a Northwestern University statement, also avidly enjoys music, the official name will be the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music. Video: Music students give mixed reactions to their school’s new name. After a musical introduction from three trumpeters, dressed in all-black, Ryan told the suit-laden crowd that the board wanted to, “put an indelible mark on this university in thanks for the great job that Henry has done,” and “thought long and hard how best to commemorate what will be 15 years of exceptional leadership of this university.” Northwestern is also setting up a new endowment in their name for the School of Music, to help pay for expenses such as scholarships and professorships. “To have the trustees themselves and to have alumni and friends of the university step up to work to raise money for the school of music is just terrific,” Bienen said. “To have it down in our name is better yet.” The School of Music’s renaming comes after the university announced plans in February for a new $90-million music building. “The combination of this new endowment and also the new building really poises the Bienen School of Music to be one of the nation’s premier institutions,” said Toni-Marie Montgomery, the school’s dean. “Adding their name definitely adds that premier status.” Bienen’s wife Leigh called the announcement “most splendid.” “Long after we are gone, our marvelous school of music will be making people happy and proud.”
Henry Bienen may leave his post as university president in a little more than a year, but his name will stay with the school “forever more.”
“It’s my honor and pleasure to announce that our world-renowned school of music here at Northwestern University will be newly named the Bienen School of Music,” Patrick Ryan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, told a crowd of more than 50 people outside Lutkin Hall on Tuesday.
The school will become the only one at Northwestern named after a university president, and is unusual for not having a financial donation attached to its name — Weinberg, McCormick, Feinberg and Kellogg were all named after multimillion-dollar donations from namesake benefactors and foundations.
To include Bienen’s wife, who, according to a Northwestern University statement, also avidly enjoys music, the official name will be the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music.
After a musical introduction from three trumpeters, dressed in all-black, Ryan told the suit-laden crowd that the board wanted to, “put an indelible mark on this university in thanks for the great job that Henry has done,” and “thought long and hard how best to commemorate what will be 15 years of exceptional leadership of this university.”
Northwestern is also setting up a new endowment in their name for the School of Music, to help pay for expenses such as scholarships and professorships.
“To have the trustees themselves and to have alumni and friends of the university step up to work to raise money for the school of music is just terrific,” Bienen said. “To have it down in our name is better yet.”
The School of Music’s renaming comes after the university announced plans in February for a new $90-million music building.
“The combination of this new endowment and also the new building really poises the Bienen School of Music to be one of the nation’s premier institutions,” said Toni-Marie Montgomery, the school’s dean. “Adding their name definitely adds that premier status.”
Bienen’s wife Leigh called the announcement “most splendid.”
“Long after we are gone, our marvelous school of music will be making people happy and proud.”
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