Statement from Rose-Hulman President Jim Conwell Following Death of Mari Hulman George

Monday, November 05, 2018
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For her service and dedication to Rose-Hulman, Mari Hulman George earned an honorary doctorate from the institute in 1998. She joined the Board of Trustees in 1989 and, following her tenure, served as an emeritus member of the board.

The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology community is saddened by the loss of Mari Hulman George, a friend and benefactor whose family relationship with the institute dates back more than a century. Her grandfather, Anton Hulman Sr., served on the Board of Managers of what was then Rose Polytechnic Institute beginning in the 1880s, and he and his brother, Herman, donated the 123 acres of land on which the institute now sits. Anton’s son, Anton (Tony) Hulman Jr. and his wife, Mary Fendrich Hulman—Mari’s parents—continued the family’s philanthropy, funding a student union in the 1960s and donating the assets of their family foundation to Rose in 1971, at which time the institute became Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Mari continued the family legacy of involvement and advocacy for Rose-Hulman, which earned her an honorary doctorate in 1998. She joined the board in 1989 and, after her tenure, remained an emeritus member of the board. Her son, Anton (Tony) Hulman George, continues the family legacy of service as a member of the current Board of Trustees.

We are deeply indebted to Mari for support that contributed greatly in the institute becoming a national leader in science, engineering and math education. The institute purchased Mari’s property just south of the campus in 2017, and her home is now Hulman House, the president’s residence. It stands as a reminder of a life well lived and a testament to the personal connection that she had with the institute for so many decades before ill health intervened and took her away from Terre Haute. We send our condolences to Tony Hulman George and other members of the family, as well as to her many friends throughout the country.