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Cedar Falls couple establishes Hawkeye Marching Band scholarships
Posted March 12, 2007
IOWA CITY -- When Judd E. Truax of Cedar Falls, Iowa, played in the University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band in 1956 and 1957, including a trip to the Rose Bowl and a related appearance on the nationally popular Bob Crosby television show, it was a highlight of his UI experience.
To mark the 50th anniversary of his UI marching band days, Truax and his wife, Evelyn "Evie" Truax, established the Truax Family Scholarship to provide tuition assistance to students who play in the Hawkeye Marching Band and demonstrate financial need. The scholarship is among the first to be designated for Hawkeye Marching Band members. Judd Truax, who earned both a B.S.C. degree (1960) and a law degree (1962) from the UI, served as city attorney for Cedar Falls for 34 years, retiring in 1999. He is a trombone player in both the Saints Dixieland Jazz Band, the host band for the annual Cedar Basin Jazz Festival in Cedar Falls, and Krewe Osgood, which plays in the Mardi Gras style and regularly opens the Iowa City Jazz Festival. Evie Truax, an Iowa State University graduate, taught school early in their marriage and is a homemaker. "Hawkeye Marching Band members work hard and put in a lot of time, so they can't hold down a job during the football season," Judd Truax said in explaining his motivation for the gift. "We believe that the Hawkeye Marching Band is a big part of game days at Kinnick Stadium, and we want to support it. We hope that other fans of the band will also support it financially." Kevin Kastens, director of the Hawkeye Marching Band, hailed the Truaxes' generosity. "With their gift, Judd and Evie Truax have shown tremendous commitment to the talented and hardworking UI students who play in the Hawkeye Marching Band, and we are all extremely grateful" Kastens said. "The Truaxes have demonstrated how important the band experience is to both our students and our fans. Being a Hawkeye Marching Band member is something that stands out as a highlight for the rest of one's life." The Truaxes have two daughters who attended the UI, Jacquelyn Nesvik of Phoenix, Ariz., and Susan Reinart of Cedar Falls. Nesvik earned a B.A. degree from the UI in 1982; Reinart went on to graduate from the University of Northern Iowa. The UI acknowledges the UI Foundation as the preferred channel for private contributions that benefit all areas of the university. For more information about the foundation, visit its web site at www.uiowafoundation.org. Contact Information
Matt Henderson Additional information about supporting the Hawkeye Marching Band also is available on this site. |
