As a child, Jean Swenson Mount `58 loved to read. To feed her passion, Mount’s mother gave her books for each holiday and encouraged her to visit the library often.
“Mother had a bad heart, and the library had a lot of steps,” Mount explained. “So I would ride my bike across town to the library and get books for us.”
As she grew older, Mount’s love of reading evolved into a passion for education and learning. As she began thinking about attending college, Mount regularly visited the Miami representative at her school’s “College Night” program and quickly fell in love once again. “When I saw the Miami campus (in the brochures) I fell in love,” she said. “Miami had such a good reputation.”
When the time came, Mount left her home in northern Ohio to attend Miami University. She earned a degree in elementary education and taught in San Diego, Calif., until her retirement in 2001.
At different times throughout the years, Mount and her mother discussed making a financial commitment to Miami University in appreciation of her quality education, but family expenses were prohibitive. In 2006, honoring her longtime desire to recognize Miami, Mount made a commitment to the university saying, “now that I can do it, I want to do it!”
Mount’s recent gift to the University Libraries has established the Edward and Gladys Swenson/ Robert L. Mount Children’s Literature Fund. The fund recognizes her fervor for reading and is named in honor of her parents and her late husband. Robert L. Mount was a journalist, author of non-fiction, and fellow supporter of libraries. Mount chose to support children’s literature because of her belief in the importance of instilling a love of reading in children.
Gifts received between January 1, 2006, and March 31, 2006.
Several major gifts and pledges were made during the last quarter to the Miami University Campaign For Love and Honor. These commitments include: $15 million from the estate of Lois Klawon `39 to benefit university-wide, need-based student scholarships through the Lois K. Klawon Scholarship Fund. $6.7 million unrestricted gift from William Mayhall `69, in a charitable remainder trust, to benefit the most pressing needs of the Richard T. Farmer School of Business. $4 million pledge from Thomas Petters to create the Jennifer Petters Chair in Asian Business in the Richard T. Farmer School of Business. $1 million unrestricted pledge from David Burr `57, to address the most imperative financial requirements of the university.
COMMITMENT UPDATE
$15 million from the estate of Lois Klawon `39 to benefit university-wide, need-based student scholarships through the Lois K. Klawon Scholarship Fund.