WAYNE AND JULIE DAVENPORT TO LEAVE CAPE GIRARDEAU

Wayne Davenport spearheaded Southeast's fund-raising efforts for the past four years. His wife, Julie, has been the principal of Franklin Elementary School for the past three years. Both will leave their positions in the coming months to move to Cleveland, Ohio.

Wayne Davenport, currently executive director of the Southeast Missouri State University Foundation and vice president for university advancement, has taken a position at Cleveland State University. He will have two titles: vice president for university relations and development, and executive director of the Cleveland State University Foundation.

Cleveland State is a major urban institution with 16,000 students. Davenport begins work there May 1.

He said his responsibilities will double and the size of the professional staff he will oversee will increase six-fold.

"It's just too good not to take," Davenport said.

Davenport pointed to his previous background in marketing and public relations as part of the reason the job was attractive. "This gives me a capstone career opportunity to bring all of my background together," he said.

The foundation's campaign currently has commitments exceeding $30 million, he said, adding that the university soon will announce major gifts President Dr. Ken Dobbins and Chancellor Dale Nitzschke have been working on.

He has mixed feelings about leaving.

"The university and the city of Cape and the people of this region are just fantastic," he said. "We're going to leave a big chunk of our hearts here."

Julie Davenport will leave her position as principal of Franklin School when her contract expires July 1. She has not yet taken a job in Cleveland but is sure she will remain in teaching.

She said the school's completion of its remodeling project, which included the addition of a gymnasium, and its upgraded technology systems are the high points of her tenure.

"These four years in Cape Girardeau have been a blessing," she said.