Valparaiso University Receives $1.1 Million for College of Engineering Faculty

Valparaiso University has received more than $1.1 million from the estate of Dale F. Kempf ’62, a longtime faculty member in engineering and physics, for endowed faculty development funds in the College of Engineering. The gift supports Forever Valpo: The Campaign for Our Future and will be divided between the newly established Dale F. Kempf College of Engineering Faculty Development Endowment Fund and the Dale F. Kempf Endowed Professorship of Emerging Technology, an endowed fund that he created in 1994.

Dale earned a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Valpo in 1962 and went on to Stanford University, where he earned a master of science in electrical engineering in 1964. After graduating from Stanford, Dale returned to Valpo as member of the engineering faculty from 1964 to 1969.

The opportunity to work for Eastman Kodak Research Laboratories in Rochester, New York, drew Dale away from Valpo and into an industrial research and development environment in which he thrived. Dale had a very successful career with Kodak, at a time when the company held a dominant market share of film and camera sales in the United States. In fact, Dale was one of three co-inventors on a U.S. patent owned by Kodak to create a camera-processor for recording and developing images.

“Valpo is very fortunate to have many alumni who give back with their expertise in the classroom, their philanthropic support, and their love for the University,” says Mark A. Heckler, Ph.D., president of Valparaiso University. “The impact of Dale’s generosity will live on in perpetuity, as the endowed funds will provide permanent resources for engineering faculty development. He was deeply committed to and a wonderful exemplar of the mission of Valparaiso University.”

Dale retired from Kodak as a senior research scientist in the early 1990s and brought his expertise back to Valpo, serving for more than 20 years as adjunct faculty in engineering and physics. He was granted emeritus status upon his retirement in 2014. Dale’s estate gift will continue to advance engineering education through an endowed professorship and faculty development in the College of Engineering.

His commitment supports Forever Valpo: The Campaign for Our Future, a $250 million endowment campaign focused on raising permanent support for student scholarships, faculty development and programs that prepare students for lives of leadership and service. The Campaign was officially launched on Sept. 23, 2016 and has raised more than $163 million.