SEMO HOMECOMING, MARDI GRAS STYLE; UNIVERSITY RECOGNIZES OTTO, DELLA SEABAUGH

Quiet and not-so-quiet supporters of Southeast Missouri State University were honored for their contributions during the 15th annual Copper Dome Society Breakfast held at the Show Me Center Saturday.

Otto and Della Seabaugh of Cape Girardeau received the Friends of the University award, the highest honor bestowed by the Southeast Missouri University Foundation.

The announcement that Jane Stacy, director of alumni services, was promoted to director of development was also made during the breakfast. Stacy was also saluted for having organized homecoming events for 25 years.

University president Dr. Dale Nitzschke said the Seabaughs were the first co-Friends of the University named since the award was created in 1983. He said the couple, who had requested he "keep their portion of the program short," were being honored because of their "exceptional support to the university."

The husband and wife are both retirees and Southeast graduates with advanced degrees in education. The couple endowed a scholarship for students with demonstrated financial need from Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties who are interested in studying elementary or secondary education.

"This is a couple that is very concerned about students," Nitzschke said. "When you give to the university, you're not really giving to the university, you're giving to the students of the university. The Seabaughs realized that, which is why they have created what is the largest endowed scholarship in the foundation's portfolio."

Longtime university associate Jane Stacy was the target of a friendly roast for her aggressive, no-nonsense approach to fund raising. A video including tongue-in-cheek monologues from university officials and Stacy's friends was shown during the breakfast.

"I hope anyone watching this video recognizes that we do truly appreciate Jane for her work at this university," Nitzschke said in the closing remarks on the video. "She's priceless and irreplaceable. She is an integral part of the very fabric of this university."

Some 500 people attended the breakfast, which was held to recognize the financial support alumni give to the foundation. T. Ronald Hahs, chairman of the foundation board, said the 2,937 members of the Copper Dome Society contributed to the $2,741,960 in gifts received by the foundation last year. This was the highest level of annual support in the foundation's history, he said.

"We've only just begun to see what this foundation at this university can do," said Hahs.