An encore for the arts, one scholarship at a time 

When Natalie Newlove wants to feel close to her late mother, she attends a performance at Beall Concert Hall. Thor Mikesell, the producing technical director at the University of Oregon’s School of Music and Dance, will pop out before the show to let her know if “The Jackie” or “The Giustina” will be on stage that night—two beautiful Steinway pianos that her mother, Jacqueline “Jackie” Laraway Giustina, BA ’43, donated before her passing in August 2024.

“That always gives me a thrill to know that she was able to help people that way,” Natalie said. 

But her mother’s legacy lives on not only in the notes of those pianos, but also in the students whose fingers move across clarinet keys, whose arms draw violin bows across strings, whose feet dance across the stage, and whose imaginations bring original artistic works to life. And that legacy began with Jackie’s late sister, Euphemea Laraway Culp, BA ’36. 

A musical family and a surprise gift 

Natalie came from a musical family rooted in the Willamette Valley. She remembers stories of her maternal grandmother playing the piano and her great-grandmother serving as the church organist.  

“For me, music can be medicine,” Natalie said. “I think music inspires us. It opens up another world. We need music in our life. We need movement.” 

Natalie’s aunt, Euphemea, also began playing the piano at a young age. Natalie still has programs from when 13-year-old Euphemea performed upstairs at her father’s music store in downtown Eugene. As an adult, Euphemea continued her music studies at the UO. Euphemea never had children, so when she passed away in 2002, Natalie and her mother were surprised to learn where she had chosen to leave her legacy.

“We had grown up listening to her play the piano,” Natalie said. “She was a beautiful pianist—and she loved Oregon, she was a Duck through and through—but we had no idea she was going to leave a portion of her estate to the School of Music and Dance, and that sort of opened a door for us.” 

Eight years younger than her sister, Jackie had looked up to Euphemea throughout her life. Inspired by her generosity, she chose to support the School of Music and Dance as well. 

“Mother said, ‘Well, my sister enjoyed giving and loved the School of Music and Dance,’ so I’ll just follow in her footsteps!” 

Natalie joined the School of Music and Dance Advancement Council on her mother’s behalf to help steward Jackie’s philanthropy. Over the past decade, she has traveled around the world with the group to support students during music competitions. She watched the chamber choir perform in Ireland and Costa Rica, and in 2024 traveled to New Zealand, where the ensemble won the World Choir Games. 

“I am there as a patron and as a rah-rah person in the first row with a big smile on my face, cheering them on to do their best,” she said. “It’s so they know there’s someone there from home who supports them and only wants the best for them.” 

Supporting music and dance through scholarships

During her lifetime, Jackie donated pianos and supported Euphemea’s endowed scholarship fund.  

“When she was coming up with what she wanted to do with her estate, it was automatically known that she would give to the School of Music and Dance,” Natalie said.

When Jackie passed away, she continued her sister’s legacy by leaving a significant gift to support student scholarships in the school. To Sabrina Madison-Cannon, the Phyllis and Andrew Berwick Dean and a professor of dance, gifts like Jackie’s are among the most meaningful investments donors can make. It’s why, after gathering feedback from faculty, she and her team launched a $15 million campaign to expand scholarship support for students.

“The Giustina” on stage at Beall Concert Hall. 

“I have staff and alumni that are former students who have said, ‘I came here because of my scholarship. I wouldn’t have been able to attend the university without that, or I wouldn’t have been able to continue studying my instrument without that,’” Sabrina said. 

Scholarships can be the deciding factor in whether a student chooses the UO or another program. They allow the School of Music and Dance to offer merit-based awards that complement students’ financial aid and help remove barriers to pursuing an arts education. 

“There are so many barriers that keep a student from being able to come here and study with us,” Sabrina said. “Tragic is the most accurate word that I can think to use when I think about how sometimes students will decide to go other to other institutions purely because they need the additional funding those programs can offer. This is my way of trying to level the playing field, so that students can be where they really want to study.” 

Even for students who can afford tuition, merit scholarships help attract exceptional talent by showing students that the school recognizes and values their abilities. That investment is reflected in the opportunities students continue to earn.

“Our students and our faculty continue to be invited for international opportunities,” Sabrina said. “They continue to see recognition for the great work that they’re doing by being invited to international festivals, competitions, and tours.” 

Leave your mark on the future of the arts 

The Giustina family foundation is now in its fourth generation, a tradition Natalie said reflects their commitment to making philanthropy part of their shared family story. She has brought her own son, along with nieces and nephews, into the foundation so “they know philanthropy, and they know they need to give back.”  

“My take on philanthropy is it’s a part of our life,” Natalie said. “Our family has been blessed, so we’ve always given.” 

That spirit of generosity often reaches further than donors ever realize.  

“When the arts are supported through legacy gifts like Jackie’s, they truly do endure on and on,” Sabrina said. “Because the impact that you have on those students is planting the seeds for them to have a future impact on others. You can see this ripple effect that goes out from the arts because these folks either become practitioners or patrons or donors themselves of the arts because they see what the impact was on them.” 

The School of Music and Dance is about halfway toward a $15 million scholarship goal, helping ensure more talented students can pursue their artistic ambitions at the UO. Every new scholarship expands that ripple effect, empowering future musicians, dancers, and artists to enrich their communities and inspire the generations that follow. 

To join this movement, learn more about including the UO in your estate plan or donate to Spotlight Scholarships today.