Endowment Report 2021-2022

Arts

F or a quarter century, Zoellner Arts Center has championed the arts at Lehigh, enriched the surrounding community, and infused creativity into our everyday life. Yet, as with most of Lehigh’s greatest innovations, we would not be celebrating such a milestone without the leadership and steadfast support of people who deeply believe in Lehigh’s future. From its founding in the early 1990s through the generosity of its namesakes, Robert ’54 and Victoria ’15GP, Zoellner’s story shines as an example of what happens when a team of like-minded Lehigh people come together to shape life not only at Lehigh, but in the Lehigh Valley as well. We often say that a Lehigh education can transform our students, but for Oldrich “Ollie” Foucek III ’72, it truly did. Foucek comes from a long line of builders and engineers, who instilled in him the belief that to correctly build something was to impact those around us. Like others interested in engineering, a young Foucek found Lehigh, applied early, and was accepted. But for Foucek, things changed when he came to Lehigh and spent time in classes with professors like Jim Frakes and Joe Dowling. And it was in those English and history classes that Foucek discovered the power of the arts to inspire. As the current chair of the Zoellner Advisory Council, Foucek has used his time at Lehigh to inspire action among his peers. And Foucek remained true to his family’s devotion to building something that benefits society. When Foucek established the Zoellner Advisory Council Director’s Endowment Fund, he let his values and his memories of that liberal arts education take center stage. And, as often happens after such a show, others responded in kind. Fellow Zoellner Advisory Council members like Marc Falato ’87 and Anne Kline ’81, inspired by Foucek’s philanthropy, joined in giving to the fund and its mission to bring transformative experiences to Lehigh and its surrounding community. During the 2022-23 academic year, these funds are ushering local schools and nonprofit organizations in the Lehigh and Northampton counties to Lehigh’s campus. Because of this collective action and generosity, anywhere from 18 to 35 busloads of eager audiences make it into Zoellner to witness the power of the arts to inspire, to influence, and to celebrate our differences. And because of the power of endowment, the passion and purpose of people like Foucek, the Zoellners, and so many more, the arts will continue to enrich the students and communities of today and tomorrow.

Ollie Foucek III ’72

Learn more about Zoellner Arts Center’s 25th anniversary celebration and Gala2023.

13