"This endowment illustrates our involvement and commitment to the community and to U of L," says Bruce. "We're able to do this because of the customers we have and their commitment to us."

"U of L has a lot of things going for it and Speed School is one of the best kept secrets in the country," says Bruce. Boasting, he ticks off the school's new super computer and clean room in the new academic building as instances where Speed is cutting edge.

The $250,000 Henderson Electric Industry Endowment Fund creates a scholarship for two students in Speed's Electrical Engineering Department per five year cycle. Its goal is to encourage these students to complete the Masters of Engineering program. An eligible student will receive tuition support for each undergraduate and graduate semester. Upon completing the requirements for the Master's Degree, the graduate will receive a $12,000 honorarium.

"The timing was right to stand up and do something for the university. We asked ourselves, 'What's something that would be lasting?' Well, we're not into bricks and mortar, we do that for a living. What the university is about is learning," says Bruce.

The Hendersons also viewed the community's long term growth, as well. "There's a lot of talent in this town. As my brother and I worked with Darrel Chenoweth (chairman of the Electrical Engineering Department) and Jack Roby (in the Development Office) we kept trying to come up with a program that would help the community retain its youth."

Chenoweth echoes the Hendersons' vision for the endowment. "We hope to make an impact by supporting students who will contribute to the local community and local economy after they graduate from Speed."

Shepherding a student all the way through to the Master's also makes sound business sense to Bruce. "We want these students to earn that degree. It gives them a tremendous advantage in the job market. They'll come out of school with an M.Eng. degree and co-op makes them very employable in today's high tech world."

Founded in 1919 by their grandfather, Harry Henderson, Henderson Electric Company is one of the largest full service electrical contracting companies in the region. They specialize in large scale industrial and commercial projects, security, and fiber optic and data networks. With offices in Louisville and Lexington, Henderson electricians number 300 in the field at any given time. Clients include Ford, GM, Toyota, GE, E.I. duPont, Rohm and Haas, Vencor, LG&E, Churchill Downs, Bank One, and National City. Having provided the electrical and security work for the Providian Center, the LG&E Building, Churchill Downs, and the Falls Fountain, Bruce says, 'When you come into Louisville and see these landmarks, you're seeing our work. They're us. They're who we are. We pour our hearts and souls into these buildings."

It should be of little surprise that Bird took time out recently from practicing and attending chamber music workshops around the globe to create an endowment for students at the School of Music. The Malcolm Bird Scholarship will be awarded to students seeking a degree in either violin, viola, or cello.

"The cello is my passion," says Bird. "I've been playing it all of my life." Bird, who plays with two chamber trios in Louisville, wants to help the School of Music become a larger source of strings for orchestras. "It's mandatory that the string department at the Univeristy of Louisville feed the Louisville Orchestra and other orchestras."

Chamber music, though, remains his focus. "Chamber music is an unsung hero. I hope that by championing this cause will help others to experience the joy and the pleasure of chamber music."

Helping Bird in this quest to bolster U of L's string department, as well as his own playing, is Nella Hunkins. The School of Music's only full-time professor of cello, Hunkins has been performing for nearly 20 years  five seasons with the Cleveland Orchestra and later free-lancing with the Berlin Philharmonic. She studied first with her parents  -her mother a violinist and her father a cellist-  and later with Janos Starker at Juiliard. Her presence at the School of Music is underwritten by Charles and Babs Birnsteel.

Hunkins' stellar background and presence in Louisville encourages Bird that he's on the right track. "Nella will broaden the academic possibilites at the School of Music."  And chamber music.

University Park is an ambitious plan to build a field house, an aquatics center, a track and field stadium, a soccer and field hockey stadium, a tennis center, and renovation of Parkway Field. The completion of the Bass-Rudd Tennis Complex was the first giant step in fulfilling U of L's $20 million field of dreams. Bridgeman is an enthusiastic spokesman for the project.

"I think basically, it's a facility that's needed on campus. Obviously, when you look at a lot of the other major universities around the country, they have facilities like what we're trying to build at U of L for the students, faculty, and staff to not just exercise, but as part of the campus life, part of the campus experience. I remember when I was out there we had a couple facilities, but it wasn't that attractive. Going into the next century to be attractive to top students you have to be a full-service provider."