We Are Marshall premiere proceeds presented
to Keith-Albee, MU Foundation; Marshall academics, athletics also benefit

Proceeds from the Dec. 12, 2006, premiere of We Are Marshall in Huntington were distributed today in presentations at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center Inc., in downtown Huntington.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin III, Marshall University President Stephen J. Kopp, former Marshall University Foundation Inc. interim Chief Executive Officer John Kinzer and Curtis McCall, president and CEO of Marquee Cinemas, presented checks totaling $431,500.

The $400,000 in proceeds from the premiere event at the Keith-Albee were split evenly between the Keith-Albee and Marshall scholarships. The Keith-Albee received $200,000, and Marshall received $100,000 for academic scholarships and $100,000 for athletic scholarships.

The Marshall University Foundation Inc. received $31,500 from McCall for the new Marquee Cinemas Scholarship. Those funds came from the premiere shown Dec. 12 on all 16 screens at Pullman Square’s Marquee Cinemas.

“On December 12th, 2006, we witnessed firsthand the power of collaboration as the City of Huntington was transformed into Hollywood,” Kopp said. “Beyond wonderful memories, the many individuals and organizations that worked together to make the Huntington premiere a success can take great pride in our announcement of funding for both the Keith-Albee and scholarships at Marshall University. Not only are we preserving our past with this historic venue, but we are also investing in the future education of our students who have demonstrated their ability in academics and athletics.”

David Tyson, co-president of the Keith-Albee Foundation, said the performing arts center’s future brightened instantly with the donation of $200,000 from the premiere.

“This is a huge day for the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center,” Tyson said. “This is the first step towards our renovation project to make this a tri-state arts center.”

Kinzer was interim CEO of the Foundation at the time of the premiere. Dr. Ron Area was recently hired as the permanent CEO of the Foundation and senior vice president for development at Marshall, and assumed his duties two days ago.

“We were very pleased that Marquee Cinemas agreed to partner with us on the premiere and it was very generous of them to use their net proceeds to endow a scholarship,” Kinzer said.

The Marquee Scholarship goes to full-time, undergraduate theatre majors in Marshall’s College of Fine Arts who have an overall minimum GPA of at least 2.50.

Dr. Sarah Denman, senior vice president of academic affairs and provost at Marshall, said academic scholarships funded by the $100,000 from the Keith-Albee premiere “will continue to build on the legacy of those who have already given to provide even more opportunities for students in the future.”

“This is a great day for Marshall University and an even greater day for the students,” Denman said. “It is the perfect ending to the entire experience of ‘We Are Marshall.’ The most important thing an institution can do is provide opportunities for students to pursue degrees in higher education. One way to do that is through the generosity of donors for scholarships.”

RJ Gimbl, associate athletics director for the Big Green Scholarship Foundation, said the organization is grateful for the $100,000 donation to athletic scholarships.

“We’d like to thank the friends and family of Marshall University that supported the ‘We Are Marshall’ premiere,” Gimbl said. “The celebration of this special event will be felt for years to come, with these proceeds benefiting Marshall student-athletes of the present and the future.”