Dennis, BN’71, and Luann, LA’73, Wangeman chose Drake University because they felt that Drake offered them the benefits of a larger institution with the advantages of smaller class sizes and personal relationships.
The Wangemans had mentors in their majors that were integral to their success in acquiring knowledge and critical thinking skills, which culminated in gaining internships and great jobs after graduation.
Luann commented about her math professors, “Professor Kenneth Kopesky was my advisor and helped me with internships and with my first job at Dial Corporation. Professor Solomon was also a great mentor. Professors were interested in you at Drake.” Dennis also mentioned that his CBPA mentor, Dr. Metcalf, helped him attain internships and his first job at what is now KPMG, even though the job market was difficult in the early ’70s.
Dennis and Luann feel they have been blessed in their life, and it is their responsibility to give back. They want to ensure students have appropriate facilities and classrooms, so they can continue to learn critical thinking skills, gain a liberal arts education, and have a great opportunity to achieve in the world.
Dennis and Luann previously made a gift to create the Wangeman Classroom Lab in Collier-Scripps Hall. During The Ones campaign, they made an additional gift to create an endowment that will provide updates to the classroom to keep it relevant for future generations.
The couple said they believe if they put their name on the classroom, they should ensure that professors and students have the proper environment for success.
