Mount Mercy receives $1 million to endow teaching position

CEDAR RAPIDS - Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids has received a $1 million gift to establish an endowed chair in the school's marriage and family therapy program.

Randall R. Lyle, the founding director of the marriage and therapy program, has accepted the position.

The gift comes from Gerald and Audrey Olson. Originally from Chicago, the couple has strong ties to Cedar Rapids.

Audrey (Johnson) Olson earned her bachelor's degree in social work and sociology from Mount Mercy in 1976. Gerald Olson, who earned his master's degree in civil engineering from Iowa State University, founded an engineering firm in Cedar Rapids in 1965, which expanded and became Terracon.

The retired couple now lives near Scottsdale, Ari.

The Olsons previously endowed a scholarship for Mount Mercy students who are parents of young children. They also committed significant funding in 2012 to name the Gerald & Audrey Olson Marriage & Family Therapy Clinic at Mount Mercy's CRST International Graduate Center.

'The Olsons' extraordinary gift and longtime support demonstrate their generous spirit and confidence in Mount Mercy's excellence,” said University President Laurie Hamen. 'We are very grateful to the Olsons for their vision of a healthy community and their investment in Mount Mercy.”

An endowed position provides top scholars with dependable, perpetual sources of funding, allowing for advances in teaching, research and leadership.

With the Olsons' most recent gift, Mount Mercy is positioned to expand its marriage and family therapy program, and launch its first-ever doctoral program - an objective of the university's strategic plan.

'We are pleased with Mount Mercy's accomplishments in this field and are excited to support the expanding ... program,” Audrey Olson said. 'This program provides opportunities for graduate students to deliver much-needed, low-cost mental health services to individuals, families and veterans in the Cedar Rapids community that we hold so dear.”

Added Gerald Olson: 'I am very thankful to the community for their support of my company in the tough, early years. I've always been impressed with the attitude, commitment and hard work of the people of Iowa.”

Lyle said he is grateful to the Olsons for their gift and support of the marriage and family therapy program.

'I look forward to further serving our students and community, as well as gaining even more visibility for the ... program,” he said.