The Patrick J. Quade Endowed Chair in Theater was established by a generous gift from St. Olaf College alumnus Steven Fox ’77. This gift will, through the Strategic Initiative Match, result in a $1.5 million commitment for the endowed chair in Quade’s honor. The Strategic Initiative Match is a St. Olaf Board of Regents program that provides matching funds for gifts above $50,000 that support the college’s strategic plan.
Quade, a 1965 St. Olaf graduate, served on the college’s theater faculty for nearly three decades and directed International and Off-Campus Studies for nearly a decade before retiring in 2005.
His commitment to helping St. Olaf students become global citizens who, as he wrote in the Star Tribune in 2002, “appreciate the complexities, similarities, and differences that exist in our ever-shrinking world” has left a legacy that extends far beyond any classroom.
During his 37 years at St. Olaf, Quade taught more than 20 different courses in theater and communication and directed more than 70 theater productions. His production of Godspell was a national winner in the American College Theater Festival. He served as chair of the college’s fine arts division for six years and chair of the Theater Department for 10 years.
Quade received more than two dozen grants to develop initiatives that allow young people to explore theater. Among other projects, he founded the St. Olaf Children’s Theater Institute, implemented a Fine Arts Elementary Education Program for public schools, and created a workshop that helps elementary and high school instructors teach writing.
In addition to his service as director of International and Off-Campus Studies, Quade acted as field supervisor for the Global Semester, the Term in the Middle East, and the Theater in London Interim program (which he led 10 times).
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