Donor stories

Edith Fowler Kuhn

Standing on Their Shoulders
Thanks to a gift established by her daughter, Edith Fowler Kuhn will be remembered as someone who repaid the kindness she received as a student by helping Washburn students achieve their dreams. Read More

Kari Edelman and Rajeshwori Malla

Your Legacy Creates A World of Possibilities
Angela Holliday held Washburn close to her heart. The scholarship she created through a gift in her estate plan has opened the door for future Washburn graduates to feel the same way. Read More

Caley and Garrett Love

Leadership you can (still) believe in
These Washburn graduates found their callings and each other, thanks to their time here. The couple’s profound gratitude to their alma mater inspires them to pay it forward. Read More

Paul and Jeanne Hoferer

“There is no better time than right now”
The Hoferers are deeply involved in giving back to Washburn. Thanks to inspiration from the I Will for Washburn campaign, they have taken their generosity to the next level with a gift in their estate plan for the University. Read More

Brian and Lowell Hahn

Footsteps
Read how Brian and Lowell Hahn choose to give back to the family legacy to empower future leaders at Washburn. Read More

Terri and Mark Strong

Helping Create Opportunities
Terri (Boranyak) Strong feels lucky to have had the financial and emotional support of her family as a nursing student at Washburn University. She and her husband, Mark, hope to give underrepresented students a boost to help them achieve their dreams with their planned gift. Read More

Duane and Debbie Pomeroy

Continuing a Legacy
From grandparents to kids, the Pomeroy legacy runs deep at Washburn. “We knew we wanted to donate, and the push was the opportunity to have additional funds placed into the scholarship by the very generous donors who put out that challenge,” Debbie said. Read More

Susan and Jerry Farley

The Farley's Say "I will for Washburn"
"You start thinking about what's important to you," Susan said. "And for us, we've been in education our entire lives. Our own educations have made such a difference for us and all we've wanted is for other people to have that positive change in their own lives." Read More

Terry Marshall

1,000-Foot view
Growing up in small-town Kansas, getting a college education was not inevitable for Terry Marshall. A scholarship opportunity changed his outlook and set him on a course to higher education and lofty goals. Now he is using his estate plan to give the same life-changing opportunity to others. Read More

Deborah Rose

Finding her path
“I love seeing women who, when given a chance, succeed,” says Brigadier General Deborah Rose, who was accepted to Washburn as a 27-year-old mother of two with something like a 0.002 GPA. Now the successful trailblazer is using her estate plan to give second chances to students like her. Read More

Corbin Trimble

Encouragement
The encouragement and inspiration Corbin Trimble found at Washburn University was instrumental in developing his core legacy of optimism and a drive to succeed. The retired elementary school music teacher hopes his estate gift to Washburn continues to encourage music students long after he’s gone. Read More

Larry Meeker

Washburn made me somebody
When he looks back, Larry Meeker, jd ’67, says his time at Washburn might be the highlight of his life, because nothing that happened later would have been possible without it. See how he is paying it forward with a gift that also benefits his family. Read More

Carmen and Cyrus Elting

It was always Washburn
Cyrus “Cy” Elting’s lifetime of adventures has taken him around the world and back again – from Kansas to Chile to New York to Barcelona, and many points in between. He is the type of person who can casually start stories with things like, “So I hopped a Yugoslavian freighter bound for Casablanca…” Read More

Mike Manning

Paying his good fortune forward
Mike Manning served as lead prosecutor on the Charles Keating Savings and Loan case and took on many cases against people in power imposing civil rights abuses. Now retired, he’s saying thank you to Washburn for an illustrious career with a gift that will help the next generation of lawyers. Read More

Marjorie Henton

Passing it on
As a teacher, Marjorie Henton touched the lives of hundreds of students. Through a scholarship at Washburn, she'll reach even more in the years ahead. Read More

Amber Smith with her family

Practical decisions
Amber Smith believes Washburn played an instrumental role in the opportunities presented to her in her adult life. See why giving back through her estate made sense to this law and business alumna. Read More

Parents of Ron Shackle

Called to Washburn; called to give back
Ron Shackle chose Washburn University because of the experiences his parents had as Ichabods. After earning history and law degrees, he went into the Air Force. Retired now from a career with the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services, Ron, ba '73, jd '76, has made Washburn part of his legacy with a gift in his estate to support the history department and English department, where he earned a minor. Read More

Jim and Rugena Hall

A global gift
After hosting a student from China, Rugena Hall saw firsthand the importance of international studies programs. That's why the Washburn staff member included a gift in her estate to provide financial assistance to Washburn's Office of International Programs. Read More

Mitzi Cafer

One thoughtful plan, two fitting gifts
In her estate plan, Mitzi Cafer, ba '80, included her family, her animals and organizations important to her. Washburn University will receive two special gifts from her estate. Read More

Ron Cott

Scholarship adds up to perfect memorial
When planning their estate, Ron and Carol Cott found the perfect solution for honoring Ron's daughter and a love of teaching: an estate gift to Washburn University. Read More

David and Niki Stivers

Giving back to where it all started
David and Niki Stivers came to Washburn to be challenged by faculty who were experts in their fields. Their subsequent careers have moved them around the United States, but the roots that were set when they met at Washburn remain strong. Read More

Ben and Judy Coates

Opportunity for all
Ben Coates has always been concerned with fair play—even as a kid. His gift ensures students who desire a Washburn education have the resources they need to get one. Read More

Russ and Vickie Jacobs

Lifelong learning
Russ and Vickie Jacobs have a long history with Washburn. By making us a part of their legacy, they are making a difference for our students, of all ages, for years to come. Read More

Dick and Marcia Barta

Thankful for so much, Bartas including Washburn in their estate
Dick Barta, bs '87, cites the education he received at Washburn as a key part of his his successful 43-year law enforcement career. Read More

Gary and Mary Lou McPhail

Proud Ichabods establish everlasting gift
Mary Lou and Gary McPhail took advantage of affordable family entertainment by going to Washburn basketball games when Mary Lou, bs '84, was a part-time student earning a criminal justice degree. Read More

Shirley and Mike Gorman

Developing talent
With an affinity for entrepreneurship before it became popular, Shirley Gorman, bba ’86, mba ’96, and her husband, Mike Gorman, aa ’77, are fueling their passion with a gift to Washburn. Read More

John Buckner

Crafting a legacy
John Buckner has spent his life making beautiful things through music and woodworking. Now John is promoting campus beauty with his legacy gift to Washburn. Read More

Len and Terry Richter

Richters create gratifying estate gift
Terry Richter was a working mother when she earned her degree at Washburn. Thanks to a scholarship created by Terry and her husband, Len, other non-traditional students will have the same opportunity. Read More

Blake Porter

Scholarships helped student excel as undergrad
Blake Porter, bba ’16, doesn’t like being bored. Thanks to scholarships funded by generous donors, the first-year law student was able to spend his free time as a Washburn School of Business student building an impressive resume. Read More

Edna and Chuck Greene

An investment in changed lives
Edna and Chuck Greene planted solid roots in Topeka in the 1950s. They married in 1950, graduated from Washburn in 1951, built a house in 1953, worked for their family business, Kansas Electric Supply, and started a family of their own. They also planned for the future by investing in stock. Read More

Carol and Jere Noe

A gift that makes cents
Jere and Carol Noe are enthusiastic supporters of Washburn University. They recently created a charitable gift annuity (CGA) through the Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation that will allow them to receive fixed payments for life while giving back to an institution they love to support. Read More

Kay Farley

A textbook gift for Washburn student
Kay Farley grew up around an important aspect of education many people do not consider — the buying and selling of textbooks and other course materials. Read More

Beulah Wilkinson Summers

Love of teaching passed on through estate gift
A simple bequest in your estate plan can go a long way in making Washburn a better place. A transfer of assets from the trust of Beulah Wilkinson Summers will provide scholarships to students who have the same passion for teaching she had. Her legacy lives on by supporting something important to her. Read More

Mark and Sheree Yardley

Investing in tomorrow’s leaders
A simple gift in your will can go a long way in making Washburn a better place. A few sentences, directing a portion of your estate to Washburn, can make you feel good knowing your legacy will live on and support your passions. Read More

Bartling

Estate gift honors Fern Bartling's dedication to education
Paul Bartling isn't sure how his mother, Fern Bartling, chose Washburn back in the 1930s while growing up on a farm near Garden City, Kansas. He's not even sure how she found the funds to travel across the state to attend. Read More

Louise and Dana Hummer

Louise Hummer honors her family through gifts to Washburn
Louise Hummer wakes up every morning with a plan. At 95, she stays active in the community and is a regular at her favorite restaurant and sporting events in the park that bears her family name. Read More

Linda Tuller

Retirement keeps Linda Tuller busy giving, learning
Linda Tuller believes education and giving make an individual a whole person. The 68-year-old recent retiree now focuses her attention full time on those two things. Read More

Eldon Gideon

Sharing a bountiful harvest
The fields of Kansas have been a fitting place for Eldon Gideon's family to raise crops. The harvest Eldon produced last year turned into a fitting way to honor his family and benefit Washburn University. Read More

Reichart

A legacy of love for Washburn athletic
A planned gift from two lifelong sports fans is ensuring that one couple's passion for athletics and education will live on in an endowed scholarship. The fund will provide support for future Washburn student-athletes. Read More

Mabel Asenath Clem Henderson

Mabel Asenath Clem Henderson love of education leads to $1.1 million estate gift
Even though LaVern and Mabel Henderson never attended Washburn, the University received a $1.1 million gift from the estate of Mabel Asenath Clem Henderson. This gift will endow the LaVern B. and Mabel A. Henderson Scholarship Fund. Read More

James Clarke

James Clarke planned gift an investment in student success, innovation
James Clarke considers his decision to include Washburn University in his estate plan as more than an investment in student success. Read More

Steven Weeks

Steven Weeks planned gift of an endowed scholarship
Steven Weeks hopes that the scholarship he endowed in 2012 will have the same impact on a student considering Washburn University today that a Garvey Scholarship had on him. Read More

Carol Foreman

Carol Foreman: Foreman gift supports law scholarships
Carol Foreman wasn't clear about her career path when she graduated with her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas. She knew she wanted to find a career that would give her the ability to support herself and make a difference in the lives of others. Read More

Jo Ann Klemmer

Jo Ann Klemmer: Donor establishes fund to support literary tradition
Jo Ann Klemmer has had a longtime interest in the English language, writing and Washburn University. She received a B.A. in English from Washburn in 1953, where she was editor of the Washburn literary magazine. After graduation, Jo Ann worked in the Menninger School of Psychiatry as a secretary for a few years, where she met her future husband Herb, who served as the Director of the Menninger School of Psychiatry for many years. They married in 1963, the same year she received her M.A. in English from the University of Kansas. Read More

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