Glenview man honors wife's life with endowed position at Lawrence U.
Glenview's Tom Hurvis honors wife's faith, beliefs with gift for new position for spiritual, religious life at Lawrence University
APPLETON, WIS. - Tom and Julie Hurvis met in the late 1950s as undergraduates at Lawrence University. She devoted her life to people, especially those in need, and enthusiastic advocacy of the Bahá'í faith's vision of a unified and peaceful world.
As devoted Bahá'í faith members, the Glenview couple strongly believed in the power of spirituality. They embraced the wisdom of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the religion's founder and its one-time leader, who once said, "Man is, in reality, a spiritual being and only when he lives in the spirit is he truly happy."
Julie passed away last July. In her memory, Tom Hurvis has made a generous gift to his alma mater to honor his wife's faith and beliefs. Through Tom's support, Lawrence University will establish the Julie Esch Hurvis Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life, which will continue her legacy with countless generations of students, faculty and staff.
Julie was a 1961 Lawrence graduate while Tom graduated in 1960.
The new position is designed to enhance the transformative experience a Lawrence education provides by reinforcing a welcoming and supportive community environment for spiritual and religious exploration and expression.
The Hurvis gift will endow the position and its related programming in perpetuity.
"Julie Hurvis' impact on Lawrence can be felt on this campus every day," said President Mark Burstein. "She cared deeply about every student and worked to ensure they succeeded at the university. Our inaugural dean of spiritual and religious life will not only help ensure that success but also will be a reminder of Julie's life, values and care for the individual. I am grateful to Tom and Julie for creating this legacy and caring so deeply about our students."
A native of Sheboygan, Wis., Julie Hurvis was a life-long enthusiast of Wisconsin's scenic beauty. Gifted with a strong visual sense, she earned a bachelor's degree from Lawrence in studio art and later earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Art Institute of Chicago.
She took great pride in the countless lives she touched throughout the area, especially those she had an impact on through 40 years of continuous service as a member of the Glenview Spiritual Assembly, the annually elected body stewarding Bahá'í's activities in the village.
Lawrence's new dean will serve as a senior campus leader, collaborating with individual students and groups, faculty, staff, local clergy and community organizations to offer support in the exploration of spirituality, religion and morality. The new position will provide a resource and counselor during moments of tragedy and crisis, working with the campus community to provide opportunities for meaningful ceremonies and celebrations for a range of religions and interfaith services.
"Lawrence strives to meet the intellectual and developmental needs of students, however, for many students, their needs include spiritual support," said Nancy Truesdell, vice president for student affairs. "The Julie Esch Hurvis Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life will be an important resource for those students. We'll also be able to provide a location where they can have conversations about faith and their personal values as well as a space for reflection or prayer."
The Hurvis gift also will support a new campus spiritual and religious center, providing students, faculty and staff space to explore, learn, worship and connect on issues of spirituality and religion. The center will be created through a renovation of an existing campus building, with capacity for updates to meet future needs.
Lawrence will launch a national candidate search to fill the new position immediately.
About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book "Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College" and Fiske's Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.