Velma L. Wallace College of Fine Arts Support Fund

Velma Lunt Wallace was born and raised in Wichita, where she graduated from Wichita Business College. She joined Cessna Aircraft Company in 1937 as an executive secretary, where she met and later married Dwane Wallace. He went on to become president and then chairman of the company. In 1976, they established the Dwane L. and Velma L. Wallace Endowment, which supports scholarships for engineering students and provides funds for the WSU College of Engineering. The program has benefited hundreds of students.

Mrs. Wallace was deeply involved in the community at many levels, earning her the Wichita Area Girl Scout Council Woman of Distinction Award in 1997, the Uncommon Citizen Award from the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce in 1998, the Forum for Executive Women Wing Walker Award in 1998 and the National Conference for Community and Justice Brotherhood and Sisterhood Award in 2002.

Her generosity to Wichita State included a gift of $3 million to support the Engineering Research Building located next to Wallace Hall, which was named in honor of her husband. She requested that the Engineering Research Building be named in honor of former WSU President Donald Beggs. Mrs. Wallace also provided the lead gift for the Shirley Beggs Ballroom in the Rhatigan Student Center.

Mrs. Wallace died in 2012. It was her wish that this fund be used to provide enrichment opportunities for students or faculty in the WSU College of Fine Arts. She endowed a similar fund for the College of Education. Mrs. Wallace also endowed scholarships funds for student-athletes and for students in the College of Education and the College of Fine Arts, School of Music.