Hawks' Wirtz creates Northwestern endowment fund

Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz and his wife, Marilyn, are creating an endowment fund for Northwestern University's theater program.

University officials say the multimillion dollar gift will fund student and faculty projects in the Theatre and Interpretation Center on the Evanston campus.

Officials say the gift will help with collaborations with professional artists and regional theatres and fund arts programs for Chicago area children.

Northwestern officials plan to rename the Theatre and Interpretation Center to the Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the performing arts, in honor of Rocky Wirtz's grandmother, who was a Northwestern graduate.

Wirtz is a member of the Northwestern University Board of Trustees. He received a bachelor's degree from the university in 1975.