Last month we welcomed the family and friends of alumnus Jim Hollensteiner (Junior Year Abroad, 1952) to thank him for his kind support of both sport at Exeter, and the Alumni Annual Fund.
On Wednesday 25 September we held a celebratory naming event at our Streatham Campus hosted by Professor Tim Quinne, Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience. The 3G Pitch at the Sports Park was named ‘The James A. Hollensteiner Pitch’ and a recognition plaque was positioned in the space on the day to celebrate Jim’s support and contribution to Exeter.
Jim Hollensteiner first arrived at the University of Exeter, then known as University College of the South West, in 1951 through an exchange program with DePauw University in Indiana. After completing his year abroad, Jim returned to DePauw in 1952, graduating the following year. He went on to earn an MBA from Northwestern University’s Business School in 1955 before beginning his career at the United States League of Savings Institutions, where he rose to the position of Executive Vice President, retiring in 1988. Throughout his career, Jim played a key role in advancing the products and services of financial institutions.
Since 1999, Jim has made generous philanthropic contributions to the University of Exeter and in 2015, Jim and his late wife, Wanda, established the John Dunford Award, which is presented annually to the 1st XV Rugby Player of the Year. The award is named after John Dunford, who captained Exeter’s 1st XV Rugby team during Jim’s time at the University. In recent years, Jim also donated to support sports facilities and the naming of the 3G pitch at the Sports Park honours Jim’s generosity over the years.
During Professor Tim Quine’s speech he mentioned: “Jim has always been a sportsman, and during his time at DePauw he played American Football for the Little State team and was also part of the basketball team. Not forgetting to mention he never lost an individual track running race during his time there! Jim put all of this talent to good use during his year at Exeter. In 2021, Jim generously donated a philanthropic gift to support the university’s rugby programme. To recognise this gift, we are delighted to be naming a rugby pitch at our Sports Park in Jim’s honour. The pitch hosts 1st team rugby, American football, lacrosse, and many other sports for competitive games and practices. The pitch allows our athletes to play in all conditions, enabling thousands of students and members of our local community to train and compete.”
Over the past 70 years, Jim has maintained a close connection to Exeter and many of his former classmates. He and his late wife have visited the campus on several occasions, planting two trees on the Streatham Campus in memory of his roommate and Jim’s biology professor. Jim’s bond with Exeter has also extended to his family, with two of his children, Lisa and John, spending a year at the University as part of their studies.
As part of the official renaming of the pitch Jim’s children, Lisa, Jena, and John unveiled a recognition plaque. Speaking about the day Jena shared: “My siblings, Lisa and John, and I were pleased to represent and celebrate the naming of the James A. Hollensteiner Pitch in recognition of our father’s contributions to Exeter sport. While I have listened to my father’s stories and exploits over many decades of the glorious times that he spent at Exeter, we could not fully appreciate his anecdotes. As he would attest, Exeter played a major role in his growth as a person and provided a solid foundation for his professional career. Having now witnessed the place in which “Dad” lived and excelled, I have a greater appreciation and understanding of his loyalty to the University. The unyielding and gracious kindness and hospitality that was unconditionally extended made us feel like are a part of a larger family. Thus, on behalf of my father and entire family, we thank you all for all for the energy expended to celebrate and acknowledge our Dad.”
The day also featured a Streatham Campus tour for guests to see the changes that had taken place since their last visits to Exeter and a trip to the Topsham Sports Ground to watch the Men’s Rugby 1st Team triumph over Loughborough: the perfect ending to the celebratory day!
