Opportunity for all
Ben Coates’ estate gift reflects career of giving everyone equal chance
Ben Coates with his wife, Judy
The opportunity for everyone to be on a level playing field has always been important to Ben Coates, ba ’69, h ’17.
In his career, he advocated for and helped write guidelines for fair sentencing in criminal justice. As a retiree, he and his wife, Judy, are helping students afford college with annual contributions to a Washburn sociology scholarship in their name. Ben, a retired Washburn University assistant professor of sociology, also has a gift in his estate that will create an endowed scholarship, making generosity a permanent part of their legacy.
Ben grew up in rural Maryland, an hour away from any university. Attending college was a desire, and he had to find a way.
“Neither of my parents graduated from the sixth grade,” he said. “I wanted to go to college, but my parents were very poor, and there was just no opportunity. So I joined the military when I was 17 and then used the GI Bill. It was a transformative experience.”
He served in Topeka in 1962 as a member of the Air Force, then earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Washburn and a master’s degree from the University of Kansas.
He started teaching at Washburn in 1970 and was one of the founding faculty in the department of criminal justice. In 1980, he stepped away from teaching to work for the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. He was instrumental in developing criminal sentencing guidelines aimed at erasing racial and geographic disparity in the current system. Those guidelines are still in place today.
“There was a concerted effort to make sure the sentencing system was set up so the only thing you would be punished for was your crime,” he said. “Social status shouldn’t play any role in the punishment aspect of sentencing.”
Ben was also part of two national, federally funded studies concerning violence in maximum security prisons and the efficiency and effectiveness of pre-sentence investigations for court service officers.
“I’ve always been concerned with fair play,” he said. “I think it came from my family background and growing up so poor.”
For Ben and Judy’s family, college affordability is no longer a concern. They have a son and granddaughter who graduated from Washburn, and their scholarship is helping future Ichabods.
“I would like to have a permanent legacy at Washburn,” he said. “That continuity is important to me. I truly want another kid like me to come along, and if they need help getting through, I want there to be some help there.”
Ben returned to Washburn as an adjunct assistant professor from 1983 to 2015. Retired now, he stays involved on campus by taking classes through the senior audit program and attending athletic and music events with Judy. When Washburn conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Public Service in 2017, he reflected on the intersection of his military service and Washburn.
“When I got the honorary doctorate, I thought about it long and hard, and I realized Washburn was a life-changing and nurturing institution for me,” he said. “I just fell in love with it and still feel the same way today. I recruit every kid I see.”
If you are interested in making Washburn a permanent part of your legacy through a gift in your estate, contact Erin Aldridge at PlannedGiving@wualumni.org or 785.670.4483.
Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. California residents: Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. Oklahoma residents: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. South Dakota residents: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.