Cleveland State University’s seventh annual Moses Cleaveland Black-Tie Scholarship Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 22 will honor major financial supporters as well as two of Cleveland’s top civic activists.

This year’s event will recognize donors who have made commitments of $100,000 or more to the Moses Cleaveland Scholarship Fund or other University initiatives during the past year. In addition, President Michael Schwartz will present the President’s Medal to Natalie Epstein and Lainie Hadden, who hold leadership positions in numerous organizations.

The Nov. 22 scholarship event will be held at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, 24 Public Square. The evening includes a reception and silent auction at 7 p.m. and dinner at 8 p.m., followed by recognition of philanthropists and presentation of the President’s Medal. The silent auction, supporting student scholarships, will feature eight original drawings of the Moses Cleaveland statue on Public Square by CSU Professor of Art George Mauersberger and a fused glass work by the Streets of Manhattan, local artists.

There are several participation levels. Individual tickets are $250 ($175 tax deductible contribution). Bronze level is $1,000 ($850 tax deductible contribution) and includes two seats. Silver level is $5,000 ($4,400 tax deductible contribution) and includes eight seats. Gold level is $10,000 ($9,400 tax deductible contribution) and includes eight seats. Platinum level is $15,000 ($13,800 tax deductible contribution) and includes 16 seats and reception underwriter. Diamond level is $25,000 ($23,200 tax deductible contribution) and includes 24 seats and event underwriter. For reservations and sponsorship information, call 216.687.5522 or visit the University’s web site at www.csuohio.edu/mosescleaveland.

Co-chairs of the 2008 Moses Cleaveland event are Ron and Terri Weinberg. He is chair of the Cleveland State Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Board of Hawk Corporation, a Cleveland-based manufacturing company.

Members of the Moses Cleaveland Host Committee are: Richard A. Barone, Dorothy C. Baunach, Bill and Viia Beechler, Glenn and Jenny Brown, Rick and Lori Buoncore, Tim and Kim Cosgrove, Art J. Falco, Umberto P. Fedeli, John and Maxeen Flower, Gregg and Madelyn Foster, Michael E. Gibbons, Brian E. Hall, Judy and Peter Holmes, Trevor and Jennie Jones, Marc C. Krantz, Cheryl and Joe Levanduski, Ellen and Bruce Mavec, Beth E. Mooney, Steve and Amanda Morris, Rosanne and Gary Oatey, Linda Olejko, Bill and Kathy O’Neill, Julia and Larry Pollock, Joe and Marla Shafran, and Don Washkewicz.

The Moses Cleaveland Scholarship Fund was established to attract the best and brightest students to Cleveland State. Permanently endowed, named funds have been created with minimum gift commitments of $100,000 from individuals and organizations that recognize the vital importance of private support for higher education by providing scholarships to deserving students.

The President’s Medal

The most prestigious non-academic recognition that Cleveland State can confer, the President’s Medal is awarded to individuals, groups or entities whose commitment and dedication to the University are beyond question. The medal is conferred only when the honoree has made continuing and/or extraordinary contributions or has provided exemplary and ongoing services that have directly and tangibly advanced the best interests and mission of Cleveland State University.

Natalie Epstein and Lainie Hadden

Natalie Epstein and Lainie Hadden co-chaired the 2006 Moses Cleaveland dinner and are long-time friends and supporters of Cleveland State. Both have shown outstanding volunteerism and leadership on behalf of local, regional and national organizations.

Epstein is a current member of the CSU Foundation Board of Directors, a life trustee and co-chairman of the board of the Great Lakes Theater Festival, and a member of the leadership team of the Hanna Theater Project. She is president and a founding member of Friends of Eldred Theater at Case Western Reserve University and a member of the Board of Directors of Ideastream. She has served on the boards of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, Temple Tifereth-Israel, Starting Point, the Cleveland School of the Arts, the Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Family Service Association. She co-chaired a major capital campaign for the College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University and served as a member of the College’s visiting committee. She has directed a number of productions for Hathaway Brown, Hawken School and many Cleveland organizations.

Hadden has been president of the Junior League and in 1972 led its members to help Ray Shepardson save the theaters of Playhouse Square. She was president of the Playhouse Square Association and was later associated with Shepardson in the development of the Hanna Theater Cabaret. She was the first woman to serve on the Board of Directors of Union Commerce Bank and has been honored with the Jewish Community Center’s Charles Eisenman Award, the Hanna Perkins Center’s Inside Helper Award, Planned Parenthood’s Sedgewick Award and Laurel School’s Distinguished Alumna Award. She is a current board member and former board president of the Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development, where she has been involved for more than 30 years. She was the first woman to serve as chairman of Case Western Reserve University’s Board of Overseers, and was a member of its Board of Trustees from 1976-2003. She is currently a member of the board of Bill Rudman’s Music Theater Project.

Previous medal recipients are Art J. Falco, president and chief executive officer of Playhouse Square Foundation; James D. Ireland III, president and trustee of the Musical Arts Association (The Cleveland Orchestra); Dr. Julian Earls, former director of the NASA Glenn Research Center and now executive-in-resident at CSU; Dr. Delos “Toby” Cosgrove, chief executive officer, Cleveland Clinic Foundation; civic leaders Maria Miller and Babs Glickman; Dr. William Hiller, executive director, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation; and Stanley Miller, executive director, Cleveland branch of the NAACP.

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