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Charles Durham at the groundbreaking for the Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education last year. On Tuesday, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents presented Durham with the inaugural Regents Medal. |
Durham — who built HDR, Inc. into an international architectural and engineering company — has been one of the strongest supporters and one of the most generous donors for the University of Nebraska, making significant contributions to NU campuses.
“Chuck Durham is the perfect individual for this Medal,” said University President James B. Milliken. “He’s a man who has been one of the strongest supporters and one of the most generous donors for the University of Nebraska. Over the years Chuck and his late wife, Margre, have made significant contributions that have touched many of our campuses in medical research, patient care and surgery, in education programs for science, information technology, architectural engineering and construction. We are grateful for his gifts. We are grateful for his vision and generosity.”
Members of the Board of Regents select the medal recipient, honoring an individual whose contributions to the University of Nebraska go beyond the support of a single campus. Now considered the most esteemed of all university honors, the medal was established by the board last year to recognize someone whose service to the university has provided “exceptional benefits in furtherance of the goals and mission of the institution.”
“Chuck is a man whose generous spirit has elevated the University of Nebraska,” said Charles Wilson, M.D., chairman of the Board of Regents. “His contributions are evident in so many programs and facilities on our campuses.”
Durham has made significant contributions to the University of Nebraska, including substantial support for the Charles W. Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction at the Peter Kiewit Institute in Omaha, and the Durham Research Center at UNMC.
Durham is a longtime business and civic leader in Omaha who established the Durham Foundation along with Margre Durham. In 2003, he received the Horatio Alger Award, which is bestowed on outstanding Americans who are dedicated community leaders with a commitment to excellence.
In response to the presentation of his Horatio Alger Award, Durham gave these words of advice: “Today young people live in a different world than the one into which I was born. But some things never change. Get an education, pick a career that fulfills you, learn all you can beyond the scholastic years, always give your best effort, establish goals, choose friends and colleagues wisely, keep family in the forefront of your interest and always remember your responsibility to society.”
Durham contributions
This timeline of support from Charles Durham and his wife, the late Margre Durham, represents a highlight of their generosity through the years to the University of Nebraska.
2005
On Aug. 5, 2005, the University of Nebraska announced a major gift from Charles Durham to establish the Charles W. Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction at the Peter Kiewit Institute at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The school combines the university’s disciplines of architectural engineering, construction management and construction engineering to create a special school focused on all elements of the building environment. Durham’s gift includes both expendable resources and endowed funds for perpetual program support of the school.
2004
The Durham Foundation announced another major gift toward construction of a second 10-story research tower to be connected to the Durham Research Center Tower I at UNMC. The new 242,000-square-foot building is estimated to cost $75 million and will be the same height and design as the first tower.
2001
Charles Durham established the Charles W. Durham Scholarship for students studying at the Peter Kiewit Institute of Information Science, Engineering & Technology in Omaha.
2000
On Aug. 26, 2000, UNMC in Omaha announced major support from Charles Durham for construction of a $77 million, 284,000-square foot Research Center of Excellence. The gift was believed to be the largest single donation ever received for the campus and marked the second major donation by Charles Durham to UNMC. Two years later, UNMC announced that the 10-story tower would be called the Durham Research Center and the complex around it would be called the Durham Research Plaza. The Durham Research Center was completed and dedicated on Nov. 13, 2003. The 289,000-square-foot facility houses 116 research laboratories, a 319-seat auditorium, three classrooms and 12 conference/seminar rooms. Five of the 12 primary researchers in the center are involved in cancer research. Durham’s gift also helped to construct a much needed 540,000-square-foot employee parking structure that opened in 2003.
2000
On Aug. 31, 2000, Charles Durham established a permanent endowment at the University of Nebraska Foundation for two professorship programs for The Peter Kiewit Institute in Omaha. The Charles W. and Margre H. Durham Distinguished Professor of Information Science and Technology and the Charles W. and Margre Durham Distinguished Professorship of Engineering and Technology are awarded to professors with strong teaching ability, research ability and academic promise.
1998
The Durhams established the Charles W. and Margre H. Durham Excellence in Medicine Fund for UNMC in Omaha. The gift was one of the largest UNMC has ever received. The endowment supports research in prostate cancer, arthritis and minimally invasive surgery. With the funds, UNMC is the eighth medical center in the country to acquire the robotic da Vinci Surgical System, putting Nebraska on the map in the area of computer-assisted surgery. In recognition of their gift, the Outpatient Care Center was renamed the Durham Outpatient Center.
1993
The Durhams provided a major gift for support of the Aviation Institute at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
1988
The University of Nebraska at Omaha announced on Jan. 16, 1988, a gift from Margre Durham for a campanile named the Henningson Memorial Campanile in memory of her father, mother and sister. The gift provided a 168-foot tower, a carillon of 47 bells from France, and a plaza around the campanile in the center of UNO’s north campus.
1984
Charles and Margre Durham announced a major gift commitment to the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Diamond Jubilee Campaign in support of a new science facility. The Nebraska Legislature approved the $14.5 million project, which included $9.5 million in state appropriation and $5 million in private gifts. The gift was the largest single contribution toward the project. Construction of the facility began on Sept. 19, 1985, and it was dedicated and named the Durham Science Center on Sept. 21, 1987. It is on the west end of the UNO campus and is home to the chemistry, geography, geology and mathematics physics departments.
1980
Charles and Margre Durham began providing support for engineering professorship awards and stipends.
The Durhams have been longtime supporters of the Dr. Leon S. McGoogan Library of Medicine at UNMC.