Giving back to where it all started
Washburn experience built strong bonds for young alumni couple
Niki and David Stivers with John Mullican (center)
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. They recently completed their estate plan and are leaving a gift that will fund an endowed professorship in the biology department.
"Great professors are vital to a great college experience," said Niki, bs '07. "We hope a biology professorship continues to bring and retain great professors to Washburn."
Niki is a certified registered nurse anesthetist. The two recently moved to Liberal, Kansas, where she works for Southwest Medical Center. She wasn't sure of her path when she visited Washburn, but meeting John Mullican, chair and associate professor, biology, started her journey to a biology degree and a career in nursing.
"He told me there were other schools that may be easier, but Washburn would challenge me and prepare me for my future," Niki said. "I was excited that he was upfront and honest about the high standards."
David, bs '04, studied criminal justice at Washburn and works in law enforcement.
"One of the most enjoyable aspects of attending Washburn was the opportunity to form personal relationships with your professors and see your friends every day on campus," David said. "The campus offered everything I wanted for a true college experience."
The two met during Niki's campus visit. They started dating after David graduated and then got married. After Niki graduated, they moved to Wichita, Kansas, where David worked for the Kansas Highway Patrol and Niki studied nursing.
"Washburn had such an important impact on our lives," Niki said. "We truly love the school and have so many great memories of our time there. We formed lifelong memories and relationships."
They devised their estate plans after reaching out to the Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation last year.
"They took the time to learn about us and what we thought was important for the University," David said. "The entire process was transparent, enjoyable and pressure-free."
The result is an everlasting legacy. With the endowed professorship, the biology department can compete for, and retain, top-level faculty and continue providing extraordinary educational experiences.
"Washburn gave so much to us, and we want to continue to provide future students the same experiences and opportunities for many years to come," Niki said.
Make Washburn a part of your legacy. To learn more about endowed gifts, or for help finding the right gift for you, contact Erin Aldridge at 785.670.4483 or PlannedGiving@wualumni.org.
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.