Thanks to Iowa State graduates Robert and Diane Greenlee, the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication was the recipient of the largest gift ever to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The official announcement, which was made Wednesday in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union, drew more than 200 faculty, students, administrators and members of the Ames community.

The Greenlees donated $9 million to create the Robert and Diane Greenlee School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The money is not only a gift — it also presents a challenge to ISU alumni and supporters to raise an additional $9 million for the Greenlees’ school by 2001.

ISU President Martin Jischke thanked the Greenlees by calling their endowment a “strong show of support for one of Iowa State’s oldest programs.”

Jischke said the journalism department gives its graduates the educational background to manage responsibilities in communities of all sizes.

“[With the gift], Iowa State will be able to attract the best and brightest students,” he said.

Jischke then introduced the Greenlees, remarking that the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and faculty and students are grateful for their contribution.

Diane Greenlee, a 1965 graduate of the department, said the occasion was a great source of pride.

Robert Greenlee, a 1963 graduate of the department and current mayor of Boulder, Colo., said he hopes the Greenlee School of Journalism will ensure that “traditional” values of journalism are revisited.

“We want this gift to make Iowa State … the best journalism school in this country,” Robert Greenlee said.

John Eighmey, chairman of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, said Iowa is not a stereotypically “sophisticated” market like New York, Washington or Hollywood, but that it is “one of the media capitals of the world.”

“The average Iowan reads 2.7 newspapers a day,” he said. “There are 338 newspapers in this state, 220 radio stations and 20 television stations.”

Eighmey said Iowans embrace the media.

“This truth arises out of the land and the people of Iowa,” he said.

Eighmey added that the kindness of the Greenlees will challenge ISU to develop innovative programs for communication issues.

“Their generosity will make possible programs to help students to accelerate the development of their leadership skills, and to interact with business and education leaders on a worldwide basis,” he said.

Journalism students Amanda Knief and Gladys Nortey concluded the event by presenting ISU’s own “gifts” to the Greenlees: two sweatshirts bearing the logo “Greenlee School of Journalism and Mass Communication,” as well as a child-size sweatshirt for their young granddaughter.

Knief said with the help of the Greenlees’ gift, ISU journalism students will find “new ways to be better communicators.”

Nortey commented after the announcement that she was proud to be a part of ISU’s journalism and mass communication department.

“It’s a tremendous gift,” Nortey said. “I was very honored to represent the students.”

Robert Greenlee said both he and his wife have been working toward the endowment for many years.

Greenlee also said he was touched to hear the emotional feedback from journalism and mass communication students.

Although it was stressed during the presentation that the Greenlees’ gift will help bring some of the country’s most renowned journalism and mass communication professors to ISU, the department’s current professors also were excited about the donation.

“It’s fantastic, utterly fantastic,” said Tom Emmerson, professor of journalism and mass communication. Emmerson said he has known the Greenlees for at least 30 years, and the gift “couldn’t have come from nicer people.”