By Nicarlyle Hanchard / The Jambar
The Dana School of Music received a $5 million donation from Bruce Zoldan, which was previously promised to the new student center.
The donation was withdrawn following controversy about the appointment of Youngstown State University President Bill Johnson.
In a press release, Zoldan stated that Dana’s significance in the community outweighed his opposition to the YSU board of trustee’s decision.
“Despite our differences with the board and administration of YSU, we felt the importance of the Dana School to the community and surrounding areas took precedence. We hope this will make a meaningful difference to the Dana School, the university and the community,” Zoldan said.
Johnson said he would not speak on his interactions with Zoldan.
Johnson said Zoldan’s redirected donation is the first of a campaign to raise funds for Dana.
“He approached the university about changing the donation he had previously made. We went along with that, helped him make that transfer and he has donated $5 million to the Dana School and is starting a campaign to raise additional funding for Dana. And that is a good thing,” Johnson said.
Paul McFadden, the president of the YSU Foundation, said the donation will be going into an endowment fund for present and future uses.
“An endowment fund is a large holding of funds that we take 4% of a year and apply to the cause. This endowment is forever and will be here decades for the Dana School,” McFadden said. “It will grow through investment practices and possibly more donations down the road.”
McFadden said Phyllis Paul, the dean of Cliffe College of Creative Arts and Joseph Carucci, the director of Dana and University Theatre, played a significant role in securing the donation.
“Carucci and Paul have been integral in this conversation with Zoldan over the past six months. They’ve helped shape this proposal to Zoldan and they helped shape this campaign as we move forward,” McFadden said.
Carucci said he is delighted to be a part of the process and is hopeful for Dana’s future.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity. It is structured so that these funds can be used for the best interest of the Dana School and in my position and the faculty’s position that means our students and community,” Carucci said.
He said the donation will help support various initiatives going forward.
“We’re going to be able to create a sustainable Dana School of Music as well as create new opportunities and initiatives to support our student curriculum or student experience in the community and ultimately, our students’ marketability when they graduate,” Carucci said.
Carucci said the donation and campaign have now shed a positive light on the future of the Dana School.
