Salisbury, MD — As long-time supporters of Salisbury University’s music program, Dr. Peter and Judy Jackson seldom miss a performance.
From now on, they will be part of nearly every music performance — and many other events hosted by SU. On October 21, the Jacksons joined SU President Carolyn Ringer Lepre and others as the University’s historical Holloway Hall Auditorium was dedicated in their honor.
Following the brief ceremony, they attended that evening’s Salisbury Symphony Orchestra at SU (SSO) concert “On the Stage,” featuring a rendition of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess by the American Spiritual Ensemble — the first performance in the newly named Jackson Family Auditorium of Holloway Hall.
“The Jacksons have played an integral part in SU’s music program for decades — and will continue to do so for decades more,” said Lepre. “To know that current and future generations of Salisbury students and community members will attend concerts and other performances in the auditorium that now bears their name is a fitting tribute to a family that has created such a lasting legacy at this University.”
Last fall, the Jacksons announced an addition of $800,000 to their previous promise of $500,000 for music programs at the University. The new annual and charitable remainder trust funding brought their total endowment to $1.3 million. In December, Lepre announced the naming of SU’s music program — now the Peter and Judy Jackson Music Program — in their honor.
“The generosity the Jackson family has shown to SU has allowed the program to grow exponentially not only in quality, but in the quantity of opportunities available to students and greater community members alike,” said Jason Curtin, SU vice president of advancement and executive director of the Salisbury University Foundation, Inc. “Peter and Judy are irrevocably intertwined with all things music at this University.”
SU-affiliated initiatives supported by the Jacksons have included the SSO, the Peter and Judy Jackson Chamber Music Series (now in its 12th year), the PRESTO performing arts education outreach program and Delmarva Public Media, along with scholarships, performances and faculty development.
“The Jackson family feels deeply honored by the decision by Salisbury University to rename Holloway Hall Auditorium,” said Peter and Judy Jackson. “We believe that music and the arts are very important to us all as members of the human race, and we see it as our responsibility to help support and stimulate the arts here in Salisbury.
“We look forward to Salisbury University’s and the City of Salisbury’s continuing advancing roles in that process. Please enjoy and appreciate the arts!”
Completed in 1928, the Jackson Family Auditorium is the largest performance space on campus, with seating for more than 700. Each year, it hosts more than 100 events, including performances by students in SU’s Music, Theatre and Dance Department; cultural performances; student activities; admissions open houses; and special events, such as State of the University addresses.
In addition to providing financial backing for the arts at SU, the Jacksons have been participants in many of SU’s music programs. A retired technology executive, Peter Jackson has served on the boards of directors for the SSO and the Salisbury Chorale at SU. Judy Jackson also has served on the SSO board of directors and has sung as a member of the Salisbury Chorale.
Beyond SU, the Jacksons also are avid supporters of the arts and sciences throughout Wicomico County through such initiatives as the Peter and Judy Jackson Music Performance Fund, which has helped provide cultural performances in the area; Chesapeake Bay Farm, a 100-acre tree farm near Whitehaven, MD; and the Jackson Observatory, one of the 100 best-equipped observatories in the world, in Eden, MD.
Learn more about opportunities to Make Tomorrow Yours at www.salisbury.edu.
