Slater-Montgomery Family Chapel

Before the university was founded in 1959, the Montgomery and Slater families believed a college affiliated with Churches of Christ was needed in the Midwest. In recognition of both families' roles in establishing and sustaining the university, Kenneth and Donna (Montgomery) Slater took a leading role in making the outdoor chapel possible. Donna's grandfather, Gerald E. Montgomery, served on the university's founding board of trustees and, beginning in 1935, served as a minister in Churches of Christ for 40 years; he was also a captain in the Detroit Fire Department and a director of the Detroit Safety Council. His wife, Ollie, helped establish the Associates, a volunteer group of women that raised over $4 million for the institution. Donna's parents, Leonard and Martha Montgomery, supported the new college in its early years, and after Martha's death the family donated books in her name to the library. Ken's parents, Harold and Helen Slater, served the university for more than five decades. Harold, a former elder of the Dearborn Valley Church of Christ and an executive at Ford Motor Company, encouraged other congregations to support the institution's development. Helen worked for many years with the Associates as a president and events chairperson. The Slaters also established an endowed scholarship to provide financial assistance for students and were honored by the university as Philanthropists of the Year in 2008. Ken and Donna Slater were married on campus in an outdoor ceremony in 1973. Donna is an alumna of the university and a lifetime member of the Associates, and she has worked as a business owner, a teacher at the Greater Lansing Church of Christ, a counselor at Michigan Christian Youth Camp, and a volunteer Master Gardener at the Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens. Drawing on his experience as an administrator for a public mental health agency and an adjunct instructor at Michigan State University and Great Lakes Christian College, Ken Slater served for several years on Rochester University's board of trustees. He is also an elder of the Greater Lansing Church of Christ, a board member at Michigan Christian Youth Camp, and a member of the MSU Religious Advisors Association executive council. Ken and Donna Slater have supported Rochester University's mission of providing education with high academic standards in a Christian environment to foster leaders for a better community and world.

Rochester Hills, Michigan · United States