Dakota Wesleyan University has added a new Hall of Fame to its roster of events acknowledging the contributions and support of alumni and friends of the university.
The first-ever inductees, Ron and Sheilah Gates of Mitchell, will be honored at the first-ever Performing Arts Hall of Fame and Awards banquet on Sunday, April 21, at 6:30 p.m. in the Pratt Alumni Board Room in the School of Business, Innovation and Leadership. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $20 per person and are available for purchase.
Ron and Sheilah Gates are well known in the Mitchell community for their consistent support of the performing arts. In 2014, they created the Ron and Sheilah Gates Department of Music. This gift allowed for much-needed renovations to the music department and funded a full-time instrumental faculty position. In 2016, with a donation to DWU theatre, they created the Ron and Sheilah Gates Department of Theatre, helping to open a new performance space within the Dakota Discovery Museum and Alumni Welcome Center.
Additionally, the Ron and Sheilah Gates College of Business, Education and Social Science and the Arlene Gates Department of Nursing are funded with their generous donations.
In addition to the Hall of Fame installation, several student awards will be presented including the Sinfonia Service Award, the Soladay Instrumental Music Award, the Mary Wing Medal for Dramatics and others.
Prior to the Hall of Fame event, the Ron and Sheilah Gates Department of Music will perform its annual Spring Concert at 4 p.m. in the Sherman Center. Admission to the concert is free.