In 40 years with the University of Kansas, Katherine Pryor, director of theatre, has touched countless students’ lives, according to the department.
Pryor will be retiring in 2022. KU’s Department of Theatre & Dance and the nonprofit Friends of the Theatre want to ensure her legacy and values live on through an endowed student emergency fund that will prioritize helping students from historically oppressed populations, according to a news release on the department’s website.
“As Director of Theatre, Katherine has witnessed numerous students in desperate need who, without support, would not have succeeded at KU,” the release says. The fund aims to ensure that students will have a quick and confidential way to receive assistance when traditional channels aren’t an option.
“In the spirit of Katherine’s passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, preference will be given to students from underrepresented, marginalized, and historically oppressed communities,” the release says.
As of Saturday afternoon, the fundraiser was 87% of the way to its goal of $30,000, according to the Launch KU website. The fundraiser has a deadline of noon Monday, May 3.
Recommended donation amounts range from $15, for meals, to $1,000, for medical emergencies. Donations are tax-deductible, according to Launch KU.
ICYMI: The department’s last production of the 2020-2021 year, “Changemakers,” will hold its final performance at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 2. Read more here.
