Longtime champions of UNL leave legacy of support

A longtime supporter of the University of Nebraska and wife of a former engineering professor provided more than $1 million to support three areas of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Virginia A. Blackman bequeathed $900,000 to the University of Nebraska Foundation for the Professor James S. and Virginia A. Blackman Memorial Fund, a permanent endowment she established years earlier in memory of her husband.

In addition to the estate gift, Blackman established a charitable gift annuity at the NU Foundation following the death of her husband in 1983. The charitable giving program provided her with scheduled income payments until her death in 2008, at which time the principal of the annuity was transferred to the Blackman Memorial Fund.

Totaling more than $1 million, the endowed fund will provide annual support to three areas of UNL specified by Blackman: the School of Music in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts; the College of Engineering; and UNL Libraries.

UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman said the generosity of the Blackmans will have a lasting effect on the university.

"The Blackmans clearly had a passion for students and education and were tremendous supporters of the university through their commitment of time, talents and personal giving," Perlman said. "We're pleased their memorial fund also recognizes Professor Blackman's dedication to our outstanding engineering program and his years of service."

James S. Blackman was born in 1907 and completed architecture studies at the University of Nebraska in 1931. He received a master's degree in engineering at Kansas State University in 1950 and was soon offered a teaching position at Nebraska in the area of concrete research at the College of Engineering. He was later appointed professor and associate dean of the college before retiring in 1973. An admired teacher and mentor, Blackman was honored after his death by former engineering students who established endowed funds in his name to support college scholarships and professorships.

Virginia A. Shrimpton Blackman was born in 1909 and studied fine and performing arts at the University of Nebraska, graduating in 1931. She attended the University of Rochester in New York for additional training and received a music degree there in 1936. An accomplished pianist, she taught private music lessons in Lincoln for more than 30 years. She enjoyed supporting the university's music program for much of her life.

The University of Nebraska Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation that has raised private gifts to support the University of Nebraska for 73 years. Last year, it provided more than $130 million -- the most ever -- for students, faculty, academic programs, research, and for campus and building improvements on all four campuses.