Katherine K. Herberger

The Herberger College of the Arts at Arizona State University is named in honor of Katherine K. "Kax" Herberger (1912-2003), a longtime Phoenix resident, civic leader, philanthropist and lover of the arts.

Mrs. Herberger's landmark $12 million gift to ASU in 2000, at the time the largest single personal gift ever given to the university, ensured that programs in art, dance, music and theatre would thrive at ASU for generations to come. Her endowed gift is funding scholarships and fellowships for students, research and creative activity by students and faculty, visiting artists, and a variety of community partnerships in the arts and education.

The Herberger name has edified the college as well, further enhancing its reputation as one of the nation's leading places for the study, practice and development of the arts. Mrs. Herberger's distinct and profound personal vision, particularly her commitment to education and her belief that the arts provide vital nourishment for the mind and soul, are carved into the college's history and culture.

Prior to making her landmark gift to the college, Mrs. Herberger championed the support and growth of the College of Fine Arts and encouraged its community outreach programs, funding an endowment which established ArtsWork: The Kax Herberger Center for Children and the Arts.

Though the arts were her passion, Mrs. Herberger's long tradition of giving her time and financial support to ASU extended to many other areas within the university. She and her husband, Robert, who died in 1999 at the age of 94, and their children have made more than 100 financial contributions to ASU, benefiting scholarships programs and the colleges of fine arts, business, public programs, and architecture and environmental design.

Over the years, Mrs. Herberger also served in a number of capacities at ASU. She was a member of the ASU Library Associates, the ASU Campaign for Leadership, the College of Fine Arts Dean's Council and the ASU Foundation Board, where she was the first woman to chair the organization. She received an honorary doctorate degree from ASU in 1987.

Mrs. Herberger once described the motivation for the family's generosity and civic involvement in the elegant, matter-of-fact style for which she was known: "We give because it is the right thing to do. I feel good knowing that my gifts of time and money are making a difference in the community, and hopefully shaping spiritual and moral values."

The Herbergers made their fortune in retail and real estate. Robert Herberger owned a department store chain in Minnesota, the state from which both he and Mrs. Herberger hailed. In Arizona, where the couple moved in 1949, he succeeded in real estate.

Upon arriving in the Valley, Mrs. Herberger quickly immersed herself in the affairs of a young Phoenix community, launching a lifelong pattern of civic commitment that has become a Herberger family hallmark.

An art major at the University of Minnesota and an accomplished violinist, painter and sculptress, she was drawn like a magnet to the Valley arts scene. Mrs. Herberger was involved almost everywhere, notably, the Phoenix Symphony, the Phoenix Art Museum, the Town of Paradise Valley Arts Commission, Scottsdale Artists School, The New School for the Arts, the Heard Museum, the Phoenix Chamber Music Society and COMPAS. Her lifelong devotion to the arts, which her husband shared, also led the establishment of a premier performing arts center in downtown Phoenix, the Herberger Theater Center.

Mrs. Herberger also was drawn to social causes. She proudly supported The Salvation Army and was the founder of Aid to Adoption of Special Children—Arizona (AASK-Arizona).

Mrs. Herberger died April 19, 2003. She was 91.