ANNOUNCER: ON THIS EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, WE'RE HONORED TO FEATURE PEG VALENTINE, A DEDICATED PHILANTHROPIST, COMMUNITY LEADER, AND LONG TIME SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS.

PEG SHARES THE EXPERIENCES AND VALUES THAT HAVE SHAPED HER LIFE OF GIVING, INCLUDING HER DEEP PARTNERSHIP WITH HER LATE HUSBAND, MICHAEL VALENTINE.

FROM EDUCATION TO THE ARTS, HER IMPACT ACROSS CINCINNATI CONTINUES TO INSPIRE.

STAY WITH US.

SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

[MUSIC] KELLAR: HI.

WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

TODAY OUR GUEST IS A WONDERFUL FRIEND, NOT ONLY OF MINE, BUT OF THE STATION.

AND YOU'LL SEE HER NAME ON OUR CREDITS BECAUSE PEG VALENTINE, MARGARET K. VALENTINE WAS THE DONOR WHO PROVIDED THIS FABULOUS NEW SET WE HAVE AND ARE ENJOYING, PLUS TONS OF -- AND TONS AND TONS OF OTHER THINGS.

SO WE WANT TO TALK TO PEG TODAY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN HER LIFE, WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING.

AND ALSO TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MIKE, YOUR WONDERFUL HUSBAND, WHO PASSED AWAY VERY SUDDENLY.

WAS IT ABOUT A YEAR?

VALENTINE: SEPTEMBER?

KELLAR: YEAH, YEAH.

SO WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT HIM AND HIS LIFE WORK.

AND SO, PEG, TELL US A LITTLE BIT.

LET'S START WITH MIKE.

VALENTINE: OKAY.

KELLAR: TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MIKE.

VALENTINE: HE WAS REALLY INTELLIGENT.

AND WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG BOY, HE BECAME INTERESTED IN HAM RADIO, AND THAT GOT HIM INTO KNOWING ABOUT ELECTRONICS.

AND HE WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI ENGINEERING SCHOOL AND SO THAT'S WHERE HE LEARNED ALL OF THE MATERIAL THAT ALLOWED HIM TO DEVELOP THE THINGS THAT HE DID.

AND BUT ONE FUNNY STORY IS THAT THERE WAS A PROFESSOR THAT TOLD HIM, TOLD MIKE HE WOULD PASS HIM IF HE NEVER PURSUED THAT TYPE OF ENGINEERING, AND HE'D PASS HIM WITH A D. AND SO HE PASSED MIKE.

ALL OF MIKE'S PATENTS ARE IN THAT FIELD.

[LAUGHTER] KELLAR: I LOVE THAT, I LOVE THAT.

VALENTINE: FUNNY THING.

KELLAR: SO MIKE DEVELOPED, AND YOU DESCRIBE WHAT IT WAS.

IT'S -- I'M AFRAID.

I DON'T WANT TO MISNAME IT.

VALENTINE: WELL, OUR COMPANIES HAD VARIOUS PRODUCTS, BUT THE MAIN IS RADAR DETECTORS.

AND WHAT MADE IT SPECIAL IN THAT FIELD WAS THE TECHNOLOGY.

IT WAS SUPERHETERODYNE TECHNOLOGY INVENTED IN 1918, BUT IT WAS NEVER APPLIED TO THIS.

AND ALL RADAR DETECTORS WERE PASSIVE AND HE HAD THE IDEA TO MAKE IT ACTIVE AND MORE ACCURATE AND DETECTING FURTHER AWAY.

AND HE HAD THE IDEA AND HE COULD NOT GIVE THE IDEA TO ANY OTHER COMPANIES WHO WERE DOING THE SAME THING.

SO I SAID, "WELL, LET'S JUST MAKE A COMPANY," AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

KELLAR: YEAH.

YES, TO PUT IT MILDLY.

I WILL NOTE TO OUR AUDIENCE THAT WHEN MIKE DIED SO SUDDENLY AND NOT, YOU KNOW, SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, I'M LOOKING THROUGH OBITUARIES IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, AND I FLIPPED THE PAGE AND I THOUGHT, "OH, THAT GUY LOOKS -- HE LOOKS LIKE MIKE VALENTINE."

AND THEN I LOOKED AGAIN AND IT WAS MIKE AND A HUGE, HUGE ARTICLE, OBITUARY IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, BECAUSE HE WAS A PIONEER IN RADAR.

AND HE TOOK AN IDEA, AS YOU SAY, THAT WAS AROUND, BUT NOT REALLY USED AND MADE IT WORK AND BECAME ENORMOUSLY SUCCESSFUL TO THE BENEFIT OF OUR CITY.

UC, UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNTS OF THE TREASURE THAT HE AND YOU HAVE EARNED.

AND THE CINCINNATI BALLET, IN CASE THE MARGARET AND MICHAEL VALENTINE CENTER, WHICH MY HUSBAND WAS SO PROUD OF.

VALENTINE: YES.

KELLAR: WAS YOUR GIFT THAT MADE THAT HAPPEN, IT GOT IT STARTED.

IS THAT ONE OF YOUR PROUDEST?

VALENTINE: IT IS BECAUSE, BUT FOR BOTH MIKE AND ME, YOU KNOW, GIVING BACK IS VERY IMPORTANT AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY AND CREATING A GOOD PLACE FOR THE ARTS IN CINCINNATI, AND ALSO EDUCATION.

EDUCATION IS REALLY WHERE I WAS CENTERED.

AND SO THE CONNECTION WITH THE BALLET AND WITH UC ARE VERY IMPORTANT PARTS OF WHAT WE DID AND WHY IT WAS TO GIVE BACK.

KELLAR: YEAH.

IN SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS, OH MY GOSH.

YEAH.

AND AT UC THE BASKETBALL, YOU LOOK UP AND THERE'S MARGARET AND MICHAEL VALENTINE YET AGAIN.

YEAH.

YOUR TENTACLES HAVE REACHED SO MANY CORNERS OF THE ARTS AND EDUCATION BECAUSE YOU WERE AN EDUCATOR.

BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT MIKE, WHAT HE WAS.

VALENTINE: YEAH.

WELL, ANOTHER HUMOROUS ENGINEERING SCHOOL STORY.

WHEN MIKE WAS IN SIXTH GRADE, HE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL SCIENCE PROJECT.

SO FAST FORWARD, HE'S AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI, AND HE AND HIS LAB PARTNER HAD TO DO A LAB, WHICH SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THREE HOURS.

WELL, THEY USED A POLAROID CAMERA TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE OSCILLOSCOPE, AND THEY PASTED THOSE ON THE PAPER TO TURN IT IN.

AND ALSO THEY, HIS ROOMMATE FOUND THE ARTICLE FROM WHEN MIKE WAS IN SIXTH GRADE.

AND WHAT MIKE HAD DONE IN SIXTH GRADE WAS THE EXACT SAME CONCEPT THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO IN THIS CLASS.

AND SO THE PROFESSOR THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF AMUSING.

YEAH.

SO, ELECTRONICS WERE REALLY HIS GIFT.

HE WAS REALLY A GENIUS IN THE DEVELOPING PRODUCTS AND PUSHING THE INDUSTRY MORE CREATIVELY.

KELLAR: BECAUSE HE WAS SORT OF A, NOT SORT OF, AN ELECTRICAL GENIUS.

VALENTINE: HE WAS, HE WAS.

AND THAT WAS SORT OF DEVELOPED THROUGH HIS HAM RADIO.

HE ACHIEVED HIS FIRST HAM RADIO LICENSURE IN, OH, WHEN HE WAS LIKE 13.

AND THEN THE VOICE OF AMERICA MUSEUM NOW WANTS MIKE'S HAM RADIO EQUIPMENT AND THE TOWER FOR AN EXHIBIT IN HONOR OF MIKE.

BUT THE BLESSING TO ME FOR THAT IS THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE HIS RADIO STATION AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

YOU SIGN UP, LIKE, THE LIBRARY TO USE IT.

AND SO IT'S AVAILABLE FOR HAM RADIO OPERATORS TO USE.

KELLAR: WOW.

THAT WOULD BE A REAL -- THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.

YOU KNOW, I SAID TO MIKE ONE TIME SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR GIFTS TO EVERYBODY.

HE SAID, "OH, YEAH, SHE TAKES CARE OF ALL THAT.

I JUST, I DON'T BOTHER WITH ALL THAT.

SHE'S IN CHARGE OF ALL THAT."

AND YOU WORKED IN THE COMPANY ALSO.

VALENTINE: YES.

THE FIRST COMPANY I WAS BEHIND THE SCENES A LITTLE BIT, BUT MIKE AND I RAN THE SECOND COMPANY TOGETHER, AND SO NOW I'M RUNNING IT BY MYSELF.

KELLAR: YEAH, AND DOING A FABULOUS JOB.

VALENTINE: SO, BUT THAT -- HIS PRODUCT IDEAS AND HIS ENGINEERING GENIUS IS REALLY WHAT MAKES THE COMPANY SUCCESSFUL.

KELLAR: EXACTLY.

YOU WERE AN EDUCATOR?

VALENTINE: YEAH.

I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI AND ROMANCE LANGUAGES, AND I STUDIED IN SPAIN.

AND I TAUGHT AT PRINCETON CITY SCHOOLS, SPANISH AND FRENCH AND THE STUDENTS -- I TAUGHT IN THE JUNIOR HIGH, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I USED A HIGH SCHOOL TEXTBOOK.

I HAD THE STUDENTS TAKE THE HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL TESTS, AND THEY ALWAYS EXCELLED.

SO THE STATE OF OHIO GRANTED MY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT.

KELLAR: WOW.

VALENTINE: YEAH.

AND THAT WAS AT A TIME WHEN, NOW IT'S COMMON TO HAVE ADVANCED CREDIT, AND IT WASN'T -- KELLAR: AT THAT TIME, YEAH.

VALENTINE: I WAS THE FIRST ONE IN OHIO.

KELLAR: YEAH.

SO HOW MANY LANGUAGES DO YOU SPEAK?

VALENTINE: WELL, AT ONE TIME TEN, BUT I WOULDN'T SAY I'M PROFICIENT IN TEN NOW.

KELLAR: BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF PRACTICE IN THOSE AREAS.

VALENTINE: BUT, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT YOUR BRAIN WORKS, AND THEY'VE DISCOVERED THESE THINGS IN THE '70S.

THEY DISCOVERED THAT YOUR MOTHER TONGUE IS IN ONE PART OF YOUR BRAIN, AND ALL YOUR FOREIGN LANGUAGES ARE IN THE OTHER.

AND SO, AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THERE'S A CHEMICAL THAT ALLOWS LANGUAGE ACQUISITION.

AND WHEN YOU'RE BORN, EVERYBODY HAS IT IN GREAT ABUNDANCE, AND THEN IT DROPS OFF AT AGE 6, AT AGE 12 AND AGE 18.

AND SO IF YOU LEARN ANOTHER LANGUAGE BESIDES YOUR MOTHER TONGUE BEFORE AGE SIX, YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE THAT CHEMICAL IN HIGH ABUNDANCE.

AND THAT WAS PROBABLY WHAT ALLOWED ME TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, LEARN ALL THE LANGUAGES I LEARNED.

KELLAR: YEAH.

SO YOU STARTED AT AGE SIX?

VALENTINE: NO.

MY MOM SPOKE FRENCH TO US.

AND THEN, UM, WHEN I WAS FOUR, IN KINDERGARTEN, MY MOTHER SIGNED ME UP FOR SPANISH LESSONS.

A PROFESSOR AT WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY WANTED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT TEACHING SMALL CHILDREN A LANGUAGE WAS THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO GO AND TO DEVELOP.

KELLAR: AND SO YOU WERE THE GUINEA PIG?

VALENTINE: YEAH, WE WERE -- I'M SURE WE WEREN'T THE FIRST, BUT.

YEAH.

KELLAR: SO STARTING AT AGE FOUR, YOU WERE LEARNING.

VALENTINE: I WAS LEARNING SPANISH.

AND THEN THE NEIGHBORS, GRANDMOTHER MOVED TO WHERE WE WERE LIVING FROM ITALY.

AND I WENT OVER THERE BECAUSE HER GRANDDAUGHTER WAS MY AGE AND SHE DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH, ALTHOUGH -- SHE SAID.

AND SO I ASKED WHERE MY FRIEND WAS AND SHE SAID, "WELL, SHE'S AT THE SCHOOL."

SHE SAID IN ITALIAN.

WELL, I UNDERSTOOD IT BECAUSE IT WAS SO CLOSE TO SPANISH.

SO THAT LADY TAUGHT ME ITALIAN.

KELLAR: YEAH.

VALENTINE: THE BRAIN IS INTERESTING BECAUSE, NOT SPEAKING A LANGUAGE FOR A LONG TIME, IF YOU ARE IN THE SITUATION IN THAT COUNTRY, IT ALL COMES BACK.

KELLAR: IT DOES.

VALENTINE: SOMEWHERE IT'S STORED IN THERE.

KELLAR: YEAH, YEAH.

SO, YOU'RE FLUENT IN SPANISH AND FRENCH?

VALENTINE: STILL VERY FLUENT IN SPANISH, ALTHOUGH I DON'T HAVE -- THERE AREN'T A LOT OF PEOPLE TO SPEAK WITH THESE DAYS, AND I'M NOT TEACHING ANYMORE.

I TAUGHT HOMESCHOOL CHILDREN AFTER I WASN'T TEACHING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

KELLAR: OH, REALLY?

VALENTINE: YEAH.

AND I ENJOYED IT.

KELLAR: DO YOU TRAVEL TO SPANISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES?

VALENTINE: YES.

AND WE WENT TO SPAIN A NUMBER OF TIMES.

AND MY DAUGHTERS WANTED TO SEE WHERE I WENT TO COLLEGE., SO, WE TRAVELED THROUGH SPAIN.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL IN SPAIN?

VALENTINE: THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI HAD A PROGRAM IN SALAMANCA, WHICH IS THE OLDEST.

KELLAR: OH, I'VE BEEN TO SALAMANCA.

YEAH.

ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, ACTUALLY.

VALENTINE: OH.

AND THAT'S WHERE YOU EAT THE 12 GRAPES WHEN THE MIDNIGHT STRIKES.

KELLAR: I WAS IN THE HOTEL ROOM AND MY HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER WERE OUT ON THE STREETS WHERE THEY WERE CRASHING GLASS AND THEY WERE WALKING ALONG.

THAT WAS PRETTY -- IT WAS -- YEAH.

IT WAS FOR OLDER MEN AND YOUNGER.

I WAS IN BETWEEN AND I JUST STAYED IN THE HOTEL.

YEAH.

VALENTINE: WELL, SALAMANCA IS A STORIED UNIVERSITY, THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING.

THE SORBONNE IS OLDER, BUT THEY HAD THAT PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THEY WEREN'T OPERATING.

AND THEN, BUT I WAS FORTUNATE THAT CINCINNATI HAD THAT PROGRAM IN SPAIN, AND IT WASN'T AS EASY TO STUDY FOREIGN PLACES AT THE TIME.

IT'S EASY NOW.

KELLAR: NOW, THEY GO.

YEAH.

VALENTINE: AND SO THEN THE NEXT, I LOVED IT SO MUCH, I WENT BACK THE NEXT YEAR AND WAS IN MADRID.

AND I STUDIED AT THE CULTURA HISPANICA AND AT THE FACULTAD DE FILOSOFIA E LETRAS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MADRID.

KELLAR: WOW.

SO YOU CAN READ IN SPANISH?

VALENTINE: OH, YEAH.

YEAH.

ONE MISTAKE I MADE, I TOOK THE GRE WHEN I WAS LIVING IN MADRID, AND SO THEY ASSUMED I WAS SPANISH SPEAKING SO THAT THE GRE WAS IN SPANISH, BUT THAT WAS OKAY.

KELLAR: YEAH, BUT YOU, BUT YOU WINGED IT.

YEAH.

WELL, YOU'VE HAD AN INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY INTERESTING LIFE.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR PHILANTHROPY.

WHAT FASCINATING, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUCH A DIVERSITY.

THE BALLET AND THEN UC ATHLETICS.

WELL THERE'S SORT OF A CONNECTION THERE.

VALENTINE: YEAH, I THINK A LOT OF IT IS TIED TO EDUCATION, BUT REALLY WITH THE IDEA OF GIVING BACK.

AND ONE THING, I WANTED TO PUT THE STUDENT BACK IN STUDENT ATHLETE.

SO I TOLD THE UNIVERSITY THAT I WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IF THEY CREATED A PROGRAM WHERE THE STUDENTS COULD REALLY SUCCEED.

AND ONE OF THE STIPULATIONS IS THEY HAD TO BE A STUDENT WHO WAS ACCEPTED ON THEIR CREDENTIALS AS A STUDENT, AND THEN IF THEY PLAYED SOCCER, LACROSSE, THAT WAS THE GRAVY.

SO THEY DID THAT.

AND THE COLLECTIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE OF ALL THE ATHLETES IN EIGHT YEARS WENT FROM 2.2 TO 3.4.

AND IN THE BIG 12 THIS YEAR, WE AGAIN HAVE THE HIGHEST GRADE POINT AVERAGE OF ALL THE ATHLETES.

KELLAR: REALLY?

VALENTINE: YES.

KELLAR: AND THAT WAS BECAUSE OF YOUR -- VALENTINE: AND BUT YOU WANT TO PROVIDE A YOUNG PERSON WITH OPPORTUNITY IN THE FUTURE.

YOU'RE CREATING OUR FUTURE CITIZENS, AND THAT WAS A WAY TO DO IT.

KELLAR: YES, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT, I SAY WE BECAUSE I'M A BEARCAT ALSO.

VALENTINE: YEAH.

KELLAR: WE'VE HAD SO MUCH PROBLEMS IN THE, HISTORICALLY, WITH KIDS WHO DON'T MAKE THEIR GRADES.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S A TOURNAMENT COMING UP AND THEY CAN'T PLAY.

VALENTINE: WELL, THAT'S BEEN A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE THAT WAS TRUE.

BUT BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO FIX.

I WANTED TO NOT HAVE STUDENTS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY REALLY WEREN'T PREPARED FOR.

I WANTED THEM TO BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE THEY COULD SUCCEED, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

AND IT'S NOT JUST THE ACADEMICS.

IT'S TEACHING LIFE SKILL.

AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE MOST COLLEGE ATHLETES DON'T BECOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES.

KELLAR: THEY DON'T, BUT THEY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO EARN A LIVING.

VALENTINE: YES.

AND, SO THAT'S ONE THING.

AND WE SUPPORTED THE ENGINEERING LIBRARY AND PURCHASED VOLUMES THAT THE STUDENTS COULD USE.

AND WE KNEW THAT BECAUSE MIKE WOULD NEED MATERIALS, AND HE WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE TO WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE TO DO THE RESEARCH.

KELLAR: OH, NO.

VALENTINE: SO WE BOUGHT THOSE MATERIALS AND VARIOUS THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, SCHOLARSHIPS, WE'VE HAVE FUNDED A NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS BECAUSE THAT GIVES OPPORTUNITY.

IT TAKES A PERSON WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO TO COLLEGE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO, AND THEN CHANGE THEIR LIFE.

KELLAR: EXACTLY.

THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCES.

AND WHAT GOT YOU STARTED WITH THE BALLET?

VALENTINE: WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I WENT TO THE BALLET.

KELLAR: DID YOU EVER -- WERE YOU A LITTLE DANCER?

VALENTINE: OH, I THINK EVERYBODY TOOK BALLET WHEN THEY WERE A CHILD.

KELLAR: DIDN'T WE ALL?

VALENTINE: YEAH.

SO, NO, I WAS NEVER GOING TO BE A BALLERINA.

AND I STARTED ATTENDING THE CINCINNATI BALLET, AND AS WITH ANY ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, THERE ARE GOOD YEARS AND THEN DIFFICULT YEARS.

AND THE BALLET WAS EXPERIENCING SOME HARDSHIPS.

KELLAR: MY HUSBAND COULD HAVE ATTESTED TO THAT.

VALENTINE: YEAH.

SO I GAVE A DONATION TO RETAIN LIVE MUSIC.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT STARTED.

WHAT WHAT WAS THERE WAS SUCH A NUGGET OF SUCCESS AND I WOULD SAY THE FORMER CEO AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, VICTORIA MORGAN, REALLY TOOK THE BALLET AND GREW IT INTO ITS MODERN SELF.

AND THE ONE THING ABOUT THE BALLET BUILDING, IT HAS A SPECIAL ROOM THAT HAS RAILS WHERE LIKE FLYING A PETER PAN OR SOMETHING.

BUT WHAT IT DOES IS IT ALLOWS HANDICAPPED INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE DANCE BECAUSE THEY'RE LIFTED UP.

AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CLASSES THAT PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY, AND NOT MANY COMPANIES HAVE THAT.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF OUR NEW BALLET BUILDING.

KELLAR: OH, WOW.

AND ANYONE WHO HASN'T SEEN THAT BUILDING, I KNOW LARRY USED TO LOVE TO GIVE PEOPLE TOURS.

HE WAS SO PROUD OF THAT BUILDING.

I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER COMPANY THAT HAS A BUILDING LIKE THAT.

DO YOU?

VALENTINE: A LOT OF COMPANIES COME TO LOOK.

AND THE DESIGN FIRM THAT BUILT -- KELLAR: GBBN.

VALENTINE: GBBN DID A MAGNIFICENT JOB.

EVERYBODY MENTIONS THE LIGHT.

IT REALLY HAS MAGNIFICENT LIGHT, ALL OF THE WINDOWS AND THE NUMBER OF STUDIOS.

AND THE REASON IT WAS NEEDED IS THAT THE FORMER BUILDING WAS AT, OVERCAPACITY, WAY OVER CAPACITY.

KELLAR: AND DARK.

VALENTINE: YEAH.

WELL, IT WAS A BREWERY.

KELLAR: SURE.

YEAH.

VALENTINE: SO, AND THIS WAS A PURPOSE BUILT, AND THAT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

PURPOSE BUILT FOR THE ARTS.

AND, SO I WANTED IT CLOSE STILL TO THE CENTER OF THE CITY, BECAUSE WE STILL WANT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND.

AND THERE ARE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PEOPLE TO ATTEND THE CLASSES.

AND YOU CAN STILL WALK OR TAKE A BUS EASILY TO THAT SECTION.

AND GILBERT AVENUE HAS BECOME SORT OF A CENTER OF ARTS NOW WITH THE WONDERFUL RENOVATION OF THE ART MUSEUM.

KELLAR: OH, YES.

IT'S RIGHT -- WELL, FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T PICTURING WHERE IT IS.

IF YOU THINK OF THE STEPS THAT GO DOWN TO GO FROM THE ART MUSEUM, FOR OUR VIEWERS.

AND THEN THE BALLET BUILDING IS IN THAT LITTLE SLICE.

AND YOU DID A LOT OF RESEARCH TO COME TO THAT LOCATION.

VALENTINE: WE LOOKED ALL OVER THE CITY AND LOOKED AT BUILT STRUCTURES, BUT CEILINGS ARE TOO LOW.

THERE'S A POLE.

WHERE DO YOU DROP OFF THE CHILDREN?

AND SO NOTHING REALLY WAS A GOOD FIT.

AND THERE WAS THAT LITTLE PIECE OF PROPERTY ON GILBERT.

AND VICTORIA AND I KEPT THINKING THERE ISN'T ENOUGH LAND THERE TO BUILD ANYTHING.

AND WE WENT THROUGH THE BALDWIN GARAGE AND SAW THAT BIG HILL.

AND I THOUGHT, "OH, MY GOSH, HOW MANY YARDS OF DIRT WILL THEY HAVE TO MOVE?"

AND THEY DID IT.

AND THE DESIGN IS JUST SO LIGHT AND AIRY AND PROVIDES A WONDERFUL VENUE.

AND THE SCHOOL HAS THRIVED, ABSOLUTELY THRIVED, AND THE COMPANY HAS THRIVED.

KELLAR: YEAH, THE COMPANY JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER, AND ESPECIALLY WITH OUR NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND WHO'S BEEN ON SHOWCASE, OF COURSE, SEVERAL TIMES, CERVILIO.

VALENTINE: CERVILIO IS REALLY AN ASSET BECAUSE HE CAME THROUGH AS A DANCER AND HE KNOWS THE COMMUNITY, HE KNOWS THE ART FORM, HE KNOWS THE CINCINNATI AREA.

AND HE IS THE RIGHT PERSON.

AND WITH VICTORIA AND THEN CERVILIO, THE REPUTATION OF THE CINCINNATI BALLET HAS BEEN SO ELEVATED THAT NOW WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE TO US BEFORE.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME, YOU AND CERVILIO COULD HAVE ALL YOUR CONVERSATIONS IN SPANISH.

VALENTINE: YES, WE -- SOMETIMES I SPEAK SPANISH TO HIM, BUT I TOLD HIM, A TENGO VERÜENZA DE HABLA ESPANOL PORQUE NO TENGO LA OPORTUNIDAD DE HABLAR MUCHO.

AND SO HE ALWAYS THINKS THAT'S FUNNY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

HE, FOR OUR VIEWERS, HE DEFECTED FROM CUBA, AND NOW ONE BY ONE HAS BROUGHT HIS FAMILY OVER.

SO HIS PARENTS AND HIS SISTERS.

AND HE'S MARRIED AND HAS THREE ADORABLE CHILDREN.

VALENTINE: ADORABLE.

KELLAR: YEAH, IT COULDN'T BE BETTER.

VALENTINE: CERVILIO BROUGHT HIS ENTIRE FAMILY TO MY HOUSE, AND THEY BROUGHT A CUBAN DINNER.

IT WAS MARVELOUS.

THIS WAS A FEW WEEKS AGO.

WE HAD A REALLY WONDERFUL TIME.

KELLAR: YEAH, WELL, I'M SURE THEY DID TOO, DOING IT FOR YOU.

BECAUSE YOU'VE YOU'VE HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND YOU'VE INFLUENCED SO MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO DO THOSE GOOD THINGS THAT FALL BY THE WAYSIDE BECAUSE THERE'S NO FUNDING AND YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON TO STAND UP AND SAY, "I CAN DO THAT."

VALENTINE: YEAH.

WELL, AND THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

I WAS ON THE BOARD OF THE CINCINNATI PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND I THINK THE WORK THAT THE THEN DIRECTOR DID AND THE BOARD WAS MARVELOUS.

AND TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PLACE AND THE SENSE OF PLACE.

AND I ENJOY DOING THAT.

AND THEN I KNEW JULIA LANGSAM, AND SHE WANTED TO PUT THE LIGHTING ON THE BRIDGE.

AND THAT WAS HER REALLY -- KELLAR: YEAH.

VALENTINE: SHE WANTED THE PEARLS, SHE CALLED THEM.

SO, MIKE AND I, AS OUR BICENTENNIAL GIFT, FUND THE MAINTAINING THE LIGHTS.

KELLAR: I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

OH, MY GOSH.

I WAS AROUND WHEN SHE WAS INITIALLY TRYING TO GET THE FUNDING FOR THAT.

VALENTINE: AND UNFORTUNATELY, SHE PASSED AWAY TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE DEDICATION.

KELLAR: OH.. VALENTINE: IT WAS IT WAS REALLY HARD, BUT THE LIGHTS ARE FOR JULIA.

KELLAR: YEAH.

YEAH.

WALTER LANGSAM WAS THE PRESIDENT WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL THERE, AND I NEVER LAID EYES ON HIM.

VALENTINE: OH.

I DID, I DID KNOW HIM.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, HIS SON, WALTER LANGSAM.

KELLAR: WELL, YEAH.

VALENTINE: HE'S A HISTORIAN.

KELLAR: I KNEW WHO HE WAS.

YEAH.

AND JULIA AND HER DAUGHTER, OR NOT HER DAUGHTER, THEIR NIECE WAS A STUDENT ALSO AT UC WHEN I, IN THE DARK AGES BACK DURING THE CIVIL WAR, WHEN I WAS A STUDENT THERE.

SO WE KNEW THEM ALL.

AND HE WAS A VERY, VERY FINE PRESIDENT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS HE WAS.

VALENTINE: I DON'T KNOW, BUT.

KELLAR: A LONG TIME.

VALENTINE: IT WAS IN THAT ERA, HE WAS A WONDERFUL PRESIDENT.

KELLAR: OH, YEAH.

VALENTINE: AND, YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT DARK AGES.

THE UNIVERSITY IS 200 YEARS OLD, AND I FUNDED THE FIRST FULL SCHOLARSHIP FOR A FEMALE ATHLETE.

I FUNDED COURT ONE TENNIS, AND IT WAS 2014.

IT TOOK 200 YEARS TO HAVE A FULL SCHOLARSHIP FOR A WOMAN.

AND NOW A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE FOLLOWED ME, SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FUNDED SCHOLARSHIPS.

KELLAR: YOU'RE A TRAILBLAZER.

YOU'RE A TRAILBLAZER, AN INCREDIBLE PHILANTHROPIST, A BRILLIANT LINGUIST, AND A WONDERFUL FRIEND TO US, TO ME.

AND YOU'RE JUST AN INCREDIBLE CINCINNATIAN.

AND WE COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD TO HAVE YOU AND TO ENJOY ALL THE BENEFITS, THOSE TRICKLE DOWN THINGS THAT MAYBE PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU STARTED, YOU DID.

VALENTINE: YOU KNOW, MIKE AND I WOULD LOOK AT, LIKE, A NEED AND IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD INTEREST US.

BUT IT WAS BECAUSE WE KNEW THE DIFFERENCE IT WOULD MAKE, AND THAT'S REALLY WHY WE DID THINGS IS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

KELLAR: YOU WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND YOU DID.

VALENTINE: YEAH.

KELLAR: SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY AND TALKING ABOUT IT.

WE COULD GO ON FOREVER.

BUT YOU ARE A WONDERFUL FRIEND TO THE CITY.

THERE'S NO WAY TO THANK YOU ENOUGH, BUT WE DO THANK YOU.

VALENTINE: THANK YOU.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.

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