CELEBRATING PHILANTHROPY EKU FOUNDATION REPORT 2018
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A MESSAGE FROM
PRESIDENT BENSON The 2017-18 academic year was perhaps as trying as any in our institution’s proud history. By now, you know the story all too well: Continued declines in state appropriations, coupled with rising fixed costs, have forced us to make some difficult, but necessary, decisions regarding the direction of the University. As we are committed to remaining true to EKU’s historic mission and values and maintaining the high quality of our academic programs and services, we are blessed beyond measure to be able to count on so many alumni and friends who share that desire. Yes, Eastern faces daunting challenges, but that has not kept us from successfully reshaping the campus in some remarkable ways in recent years: new residence halls, a new dining hall, a soon-to-be-completed student recreation center, renovations to the student union and much more. And that’s just the brick-and-mortar projects. These new facilities aid in our quest to build a brighter future for all those students who choose to entrust their lives with us. I can’t overstate how your unprecedented generosity — the past four years have been the best period for private support in our history — continues to play a powerful role in enabling our students’ dreams to come true. During the past year alone, we were able to provide our students more than $1.2 million in Foundation scholarship awards. During that time, our donors established 17 new scholarships, which will benefit students in nursing, emergency medical care and special education, as well as Latino and first-year students, to name just a few beneficiaries. As private support continues to be more and more critical to our University, it is comforting to know that her future is in the best possible hands — those who can personally testify to how she changes lives, families and communities and want to perpetuate that legacy. Thank you for all you do for our students. You can be proud that your gifts are truly making a difference.
I can’t overstate how “your unprecedented
generosity ... continues to play a powerful role in enabling our students’ dreams to come true. During the past year alone, we were able to provide our students more than $1.2 million in Foundation scholarship awards. During that time, our donors established 17 new scholarships, which will benefit students in nursing, emergency medical care and special education, as well as Latino and firstyear students, to name just a few beneficiaries.
”
— Michael T. Benson EKU President
Michael T. Benson President
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A TRADITION OF
PHILANTHROPY
MARIBETH MCBRIDE BERMAN CHAIR, EKU FOUNDATION BOARD It is indeed exciting that we present the fifth edition of Celebrating Philanthropy with you! Since the first edition of this report in 2014, we have been able to communicate many exciting improvements to the campus such as the Noel Reading Porch at Crabbe Library, new donor-sponsored initiatives such as the Chellgren Student Success Center, new scholarships such as the Ousley Family Nursing Scholarship and so much more! One of the things that all of these new enhancements have in common is engaged and caring donors. Engagement has been at the forefront for the Foundation Board for the past couple of years and we have just completed a new Engagement Planning session with all of our trustees. We discussed ideas, presented them with ways to be involved and, most importantly, we listened to what they hoped to get out of their experience of serving on this board. It is true that when you have a group of volunteers who are deeply committed and enthusiastically engaged with your mission they become passionate about its success. When we invite new trustees to the board we discuss the expectations and responsibilities of the position: board involvement, University involvement, personal philanthropy, willingness to engage others and overall support of the institution. I am proud to say that we have an active and engaged board that fully works to support the mission of EKU. So, why am I telling you so much about our trustees and the process by which they become members of the board? Well, it’s because ENGAGEMENT is a key element to success. We are focusing on fully engaging our board members so that they are connected to the University and they are working with a program or area that interests them most. We have members of our board working all over campus in different areas such as College of Science, College of Nursing, Student Government, Aviation, Banking, Greek System, Risk Management Insurance & Sales Center, Gifted Studies and many more. Being a friend or alumnus of EKU is a lifelong commitment. You are a Colonel for life, and one way to enjoy that lifelong relationship is to stay engaged with what is going on at EKU. Read your alumni magazine, come to sporting events, mentor a student, contribute to the Alumni Association, return for homecoming each year, attend shows at the Center for the Arts, become a speaker for your favorite
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professor — there are a million different ways to stay connected to EKU. Staying connected and engaged gives you that sense of belonging and pride about your time and experience at EKU. The Foundation Board is in the business of stewardship and growing the endowment. We are also in the business of engaging donors and reconnecting them to EKU and sharing with them the many ways they can make a difference in a young person’s life or, in many cases, the lives of many young people. The most rewarding part of being on the board is, after working with a friend or donor, reconnecting them with the institution, helping them set up a gift or establish a program or a scholarship and then watching with them the impact that their gift makes. Engagement leads to IMPACT! At the beginning of this letter I mentioned some of the gifts we’ve been able to share through this report. I know that what those donors — Ron & Sherrie Lou Noel who created the Noel Reading Porch; Paul & Deborah Chellgren, who endowed the gift that supports the Student Success Center; and Mary Ousley who created the Ousley Family Nursing Scholarship — enjoy most is the IMPACT they are making on generations of young people. I know there is no greater feeling of accomplishment than to give students opportunities and through giving to recognize those you feel gave so much to you. In more ways than ever, the success of our institution and the opportunities afforded our students depend upon people who care and will invest their time and resources to make the EKU experience last for a lifetime.
Maribeth McBride Berman
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Dan McBride HELPING OTHERS HELP EASTERN His love affair with Eastern Kentucky University dates back to his childhood, so it’s only fitting that Dan McBride is now in an ideal position to help others find the means to express their own gratitude for an institution that shaped their lives and careers. The young boy who sneaked onto campus courts and fields for pick-up games decades ago is now the
“ It means more
when you work for a place that means so much to you, a place that helped mold and make you the person you are today.” — Dan McBride
University’s associate vice president for development and alumni engagement.
Associate Vice President
Mr. McBride, who graduated from Model Laboratory School before earning a degree from Eastern in 1989,
Alumni Engagement
for Development and
was no stranger to the friend- and fund-raising arm of the University, having served many years on the Alumni Board. He first joined his alma mater’s staff in 1992 as athletics ticket manager and, except for a few years away as general manager of a local radio station, remained in athletics administration, last serving as senior associate athletics director before joining Development and Alumni Relations in 2017. As he developed an unsurpassed love for EKU, its people and its rich history, Mr. McBride worked tirelessly to advance the interests of the University. In 2016, he was formally recognized for his efforts, receiving a Distinguished Service Award from the EKU International Alumni Association. “It means more when you work for a place that means so much to you, a place that helped mold and make you the person you are today,” he said upon receiving the honor. Now, as declining state appropriations have made private support for Eastern more critical than ever, Mr. McBride is helping alumni and friends step up at record levels to make dreams come true for current and future Colonels. It’s a role he was born to play.
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FISCAL YEAR-END DATA SUMMARY DATE
ENDOWMENT
GIFT RECEIPTS
ANNUAL GIVING
NUMBER OF DONORS
NUMBER OF ALUMNI DONORS
2014
$61,362,000
$2,756,000
$1,601,410
9,803
5,315
2015
$60,167,000
$4,144,000
$1,640,116
10,407
4,809
2016
$57,903,000
$4,027,000
$1,909,435
10,278
4,606
2017
$65,639,000
$4,664,000
$1,912,739
10,708
4,692
2018
$69,329,000
$3,633,000
$1,917,347
9,956
4,228
FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
AVERAGE GIFT BY YEAR
2014
$294
2014
2015
2016
1,200 2015
$448
2016
$446
2017
1,151
2018 1,252
1,041
1,000 861
800 600 400 200
$498
2018
100
6
542
$567
2017
200
300
400
500
600
$320,123
$624,793
$809,788
$1,024,672
$1,128,039
TOTAL GIFT COMMITMENTS 2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
$8.09 M $8M
$6M
$4M
$2,882,000
$4,694,000
$8,944,000
$9,170,448
$8,099,102
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$909,078
$366,412
2015 $1,968,336
GIVING BY SOURCE
$756,834 $143,701
$1,405,043 TOTAL GIVING: $4,144,361
2018
$1,172,358
$231,678
$1,045,237
$864,145
2016
TOTAL GIVING: $3,632,508
$1,245,170 $322,160
$753,514
TOTAL GIVING: $4,026,604
$328,234 $1,497,412
$1,486,952
2017
$144,429
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$1,075,408
$459,886 TOTAL GIVING: $4,664,087
$281,572
n Alumni
n Corporations n Friends
n Foundations
n Other
STUDENT ENROLLMENT 17,000
16,881
16,844
16,750
16,612
16,500 16,250
16,305 16,111
16,000 15,750
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AWARDED 3,000 2,500
2,974
2,781
2,826
2,838
2,843
1,605
1,607
1,649
1,604
1,176
1,219
1,189
1,239
1,265
2013-14
2014 -15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
TOTALS
1,709
2,000 1,500 1,000 500
n Women
n Men
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FUTURE NURSE FOLLOWING HER HEART When Tonisha Clark decided to study nursing at EKU, it was for reasons close to her heart. “I was a preemie at birth,” she said. The care of doctors and nurses allowed her to survive a tumultuous birth and grow into a successful young adult. That, and fond memories of caring for children within her grandmother’s babysitting business, inspired the sophomore to pay it forward by becoming a neonatal nurse. Thanks to the Sharon Allen Hill Elder Memorial Endowed Scholarship, Ms. Clark can do so without going into debt. Without the financial burden, she can focus solely on her passion: children. “I want to become the best neonatal nurse I can be to those innocent little infants and toddlers,” she said, “caring for them when they are sick and giving them the love that they need.”
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JIM AND JAN BARNES SHARING THEIR BLESSINGS WITH OTHERS In 1964, former Richmond Mayor Jim Barnes’ attempt to enroll at EKU was thwarted by a long line. “I waited in line for half a day to get my packet,” he said. “When I got to the window, I found out I was in the wrong line. I said, ‘I can’t do this all over again. I have to get to work.’ So that was the end of my college career.” The story is a punchline, but Mr. Barnes knows that, today, trying to support yourself without an education is no laughing matter. That’s why he and his wife, Jan — already supporters of EKU Athletics — donated $100,000 to fund scholarships for Madison Central High School students of limited means. “We didn’t make a lot of money back in the ’50s and ’60s, but it didn’t cost a lot to live. It costs a lot today,” Mr. Barnes said. “Life has just changed, and I would hate for some talented person who wanted an education not to have the opportunity.” Mrs. Barnes, ’72 ’75, remains heavily involved with EKU’s athletics department, having donated $50,000 for facilities and equipment upgrades. She encouraged her husband to establish the academic scholarship, having experienced the power of an EKU education. “I was in the first graduating class of the speech pathology and audiology program. It afforded me a wonderful career and profession with many opportunities,” she said. “I had three job offers before I graduated.” Mrs. Barnes was a speech therapist at Madison County schools for 33 years, while Mr. Barnes managed Garland’s clothing store — the store he worked at in the ’60s, having purchased it after its original owner died — and served in various other business and civic roles. As his final term as mayor came to a close last year, he reflected on his success. “I’ve been blessed, and I want to share it with somebody,” he said. “If one person makes a good life for themselves, it’s worth every bit of it.”
“I would hate
for some talented person who wanted an education not to have the opportunity ... I’ve been blessed, and I want to share it with somebody. If one person makes a good life for themselves, it’s worth every bit of it.” — Jim Barnes Former Richmond Mayor
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“I loved my time at
EKU ... Great friends, new experiences, living on my own, a challenging curriculum and learning to set and meet objectives ... ( Endowing our Scholarship Fund )
David and Bet Koeninger CONTINUED COMMITMENT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES “I loved my time at EKU,” said David Koeninger, ’75, recalling “great friends, new experiences, living on my own, a challenging curriculum and learning to set and meet objectives.”
was a natural progression of our giving to EKU.”
Now he and his wife, Bet, are working to ensure others enjoy the same opportunities. Regular donors to the
— David Koeninger, ’75
Mutual Insurance, 21st Century Oncology, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Millennium Physician Group, and as
University since 1985, two years ago the Koeningers endowed the Bet and David Koeninger Scholarship Fund to assist business students from Kentucky. “It was a natural progression of our giving to EKU,” Mr. Koeninger said. Mr. Koeninger, an accounting graduate who was the first in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree, recently retired from a highly successful career as a chief financial officer and controller with several companies, including Community consulting manager with Physician Healthcare Transitions LLC. He now lends his expertise to his alma mater’s School of Business Advisory Council. They now split their time between Sarasota, Florida, and Bellevue, Kentucky, but Mr. Koeninger’s mind often wanders back to his days at Eastern, and his experiences in student government, intramural sports and the Accounting Club; an internship with the geology department; volunteer work at the old Eastern State Hospital in Lexington; and chauffeuring and other forms of assistance to Mary King Burrier, retired faculty member, and Lucille Whitehead, retired librarian. “Those dear ladies entertained my (large) family at their home after commencement,” he recalled. “That generation of EKU faculty was special, and I enjoyed the stories these two ladies shared with me over the years.” While Mr. Koeninger was a student at EKU, Bet, a Northern Kentucky University graduate, traveled to Richmond many weekends, staying with friends in Telford Hall. “She spent enough time in Richmond that we consider her an honorary alumna,” her husband said.
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FINDING SUCCESS IN HR MANAGEMENT After deciding that accounting was not the career for her, Emily LaPelle reflectively pondered the other program offerings in the EKU School of Business. The human resources management degree gave her pause. “I had remembered job shadowing at a business in the HR department during my senior year (of high school) and really liked it,” she recalled. She switched her major and hasn’t looked back. The sophomore is achieving success with the help of the Dr. Bertee and Retta Faye Adkins Endowed Scholarship. During her brief time at EKU, Ms. LaPelle has made the president’s and dean’s lists, completed an internship in the human resources department at Olympic Steel in Montgomery County, Kentucky, and been involved with Chi Omega sorority. She hopes to complete more internships and that, upon graduation, one of them will lead to a full-time position in human resources at a successful company. Ms. LaPelle is grateful for the opportunity and help the scholarship has afforded her. “(The scholarship) is helping me reach my goal of getting through school successfully by lifting part of the financial obligations off of my shoulders,” she said. “I am paying for school by myself so any contribution is greatly appreciated.”
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Ashley and Chris Obergfell PAYING IT FORWARD EKU has given a lot to Ashley Obergfell, ’15, and husband Chris Obergfell, an electrician for the University. The two have benefitted from the school’s tuition waivers, employment opportunities and grants. Out of their gratitude, they give back. For as long as Ashley can remember, EKU has been a part of her life. Growing up in Richmond, she spent
COLONEL CLUB
lots of time on campus. After graduating from Madison Central High School, where she met husband Chris, she worked on campus at Java City and then the Hummel Planetarium, one of her favorite places. Though she enjoyed those jobs, she wanted to continue her education. Luckily, Mr. Obergfell’s employee tuition waiver and other grants afforded her that opportunity. Mrs.
Colonel Athletics enhances the full collegiate
Obergfell graduated in December 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in health services administration. “I will
experience, offering students educational and
forever be grateful for the opportunity I was given to go to college and get my degree,” she said.
personal opportunities in the stands, on the field of play and beyond. Eastern Kentucky University supports over 300 student-athletes
Mrs. Obergfell now works as a certified clinical medical assistant at Lexington Clinic East internal medicine. She and Mr. Obergfell have been together for 25 years and have two children, Tristan, 20, and Bobbie, 11.
in their pursuit of academic, athletic and
The Obergfells cheer on Colonel athletics as Colonel Club members and football and basketball season ticket
personal excellence. The Colonel Club helps
holders. “I love being able to cheer on my school and watch my little girl do the same,” Mrs. Obergfell said.
provide the resources necessary to maintain
Investing in the Colonel Club is the Obergfells’ way of giving back. As the couple reflects on what the
a first-class athletics program.
University has done for them and others like them, they can only be grateful. “That’s why we feel the need to give back,” said Mr. Obergfell, “to help other students realize their dream of
618
DONORS ————————
$581,896 RAISED
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getting an education.”
The Legacy Society recognizes alumni and friends who have provided for EKU in their estate plans. These charitable contributions greatly benefit Eastern while often offering
Dr. John Wade HELPING STUDENTS CLEAR HURDLES He retired recently, but Dr. John Wade will forever remember the EKU student who couldn’t seem to stay awake in one of his classes.
substantial tax advantages to the donors. The most common form of an estate or “planned” gift is a will bequest in which a donor names EKU as beneficiary of a specific dollar amount or percentage of an estate. Other planned gift options include charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts and gifts of life insurance. A number of unique variations are possible with these plans, many of which provide donors with lifetime payments.
What he learned in a conversation after class reminded the veteran educator of the struggles many students face in pursuing their educational and career dreams. For that student, it was third-shift work at a local factory, but countless other Eastern students face similar barriers in financing their education or concentrating on their studies. Today, Dr. Wade, who grew up on a Virginia farm, is one of the University’s most generous donors. His gifts to establish endowed scholarships for the top students in economics classes — his academic specialty — and for the University’s growing Latino population will assist EKU students for generations to come. “Faculty are on the front lines, so they see what our students are going through,” said Wade, who joined the EKU faculty in 2000, served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 2007 to 2016, and continues to tutor students. “All our students are hard workers, and some of the most deserving that I can imagine.” Wade, who joined the University’s Foundation Board in 2018, endowed the economics scholarship with a significant planned gift. He established the Dr. John A. Wade Endowed Latino Scholarship to honor the
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NEW COMMITMENTS —————
$4,725,000 PLEDGED
efforts of the three faculty and staff members largely responsible for the explosive enrollment growth in that area: Dr. Abbey Poffenberger, Dr. Socorro Zaragoza and Liliana Gomez de Coss. “Dr. Wade cares very deeply about access and affordability for deserving socioeconomically disadvantaged students,” said Melinda Murphy, director of gift and estate planning. “By sharing his treasure, he will inspire the student recipients to make their world, local communities and families better and brighter.”
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“ The way this community supported me,
Katie and Daniel Ellis
it made me want to help others. Daniel always tried to make
LASTING LEGACY
a difference in the
A first-generation college student, Daniel Ellis, ’05, worked his way through school to earn a degree in criminal justice and follow his dream of becoming a police officer.
lives of others day to day. Just as Daniel lived his life, this scholarship will make a difference
His law enforcement career with the Richmond Police Department was senselessly shortened when he was
(for EKU students), helping them achieve their dreams and change their lives. — Katie Ellis, ’09
”
Endower, Daniel Ellis First Responders Memorial Scholarship
ambushed and killed on the job in 2015. However, his legacy will live on in those who follow in his footsteps for generations to come, thanks to the Daniel Ellis First Responders Memorial Scholarship, endowed by his widow, Katie (Gruenwald) Ellis, ’09. “In most cases, you do not have to have a college degree to be a police officer, yet Daniel was proud of his degree,” Ms. Ellis said. “He would have wanted to help others like himself get through college and give back to their communities as first responders. My hope is that others who would want to pursue these careers or further their education would now have that opportunity with this scholarship.” Mourners filled Alumni Coliseum for Officer Ellis’ funeral, and memorably lined streets and highways for the procession to his burial site. “The tragedy that hit this community changed people in many ways,” Ms. Ellis said. “I know it made me more appreciative and grateful. The way so many in this community supported me, it made me want to help others. I think that all who lived in Madison County that November of 2015 will always remember the sacrifice made.” “Daniel always tried to make a difference in the lives of others day to day. Just as Daniel lived his life, this scholarship will make a difference (for EKU students), helping them achieve their dreams and change their lives. I will be forever thankful for the citizens of Richmond who helped us not only raise money for the Daniel Ellis Foundation but raise my spirits by showing their support for me and my family.”
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A CALL TO SERVE Every day, senior Matthew Clark juggles getting his education with serving Madison County and his country. The Daniel Ellis First Responders Memorial Scholarship helps Clark be a hero without the burden of student loan debt. While earning a bachelor’s degree in emergency medical care online through EKU, Clark also works as a Madison County paramedic and serves as a National Guard officer. He works 24-hour shifts at Madison County EMS, with a subsequent 48 hours off. It is during those 48 hours that he completes his assignments. Clark has always known he wanted to help people, but he wasn’t sure how. He enrolled in EKU as an aviation major at first, but craved a different experience. He had enjoyed his time as a volunteer firefighter, and wanted to serve as a first responder professionally. Emergency medical care was the perfect program for Clark. Upon graduation, Clark will continue to serve Madison County as a paramedic, and the United States as a National Guard officer. In March, he will enroll in a military flight school through the National Guard. As he protects and serves his country and his community, the legacy of Officer Ellis will live on.
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SCHOLARSHIP GIVES FLIGHT TO AVIATION DREAMS Emily DeVries always wanted a career that would allow her to travel the world. When she discovered the aviation industry and the lifestyle of an airline pilot, she set her course to EKU to become one. Aviation is an expensive course of study, but Ms. DeVries got her education off the ground with the Patricia Eidson Memorial Endowed Scholarship. “This scholarship was really encouraging to receive because it’s helping to take a bit of the burden off of my shoulders,” said Ms. DeVries. The aviation-professional flight major devotes herself to the field of aviation outside the classroom as well. She serves as treasurer in Women in Aviation, and is a member of Alpha Eta Rho, EKU’s only aviation fraternity. She also earned an additional scholarship from the Kentucky Aviation Museum. While juggling these activities, Ms. DeVries has maintained a 3.87 GPA and is on track to graduate after three years, in May 2019. After graduation, Ms. DeVries plans to build flight hours as an instructor at EKU, then become a pilot for a regional airline. Eventually, she wants to live overseas and fly for a foreign airline. Approaching the landing of her education, she reflected with gratitude on the scholarship’s role in her success. “It’s touching,” she said, “to know that someone would invest their money in a stranger’s dreams to fly.”
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SCHOLARSHIP PROPELS LIFELONG DREAM For as long as she can remember, junior Brittany Fisher has loved caring for people. That passion led her to enroll in Eastern Kentucky University’s prestigious nursing program with the help of the Acacia Scholarship. Ms. Fisher has yet to take out a single student loan, a rare situation for a nursing student. “With the stress of nursing school, the last thing I need to worry about is student debt,” she said. “Thanks to this scholarship, I don’t have to.” The absence of financial burden allows Ms. Fisher to focus on her studies. Her hard work is already paying off. She has maintained a GPA of 3.69 and made the president’s and dean’s lists. A nursing career has proven to be a perfect fit for Ms. Fisher, who relishes the intellectual rigor the
Beth Erb
field presents. But beyond the academic
LEAVING A LEGACY, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES
rewarding. “The moment when you know you
Libraries, said Beth Erb, ’77, are “the core of universities ... one of the few parts of the
saved a life is the best feeling you could imagine,”
university that belong to everybody in the university community.”
she said. After graduation, Ms. Fisher hopes to
As Ms. Erb explained, that’s both a blessing and a curse. “Since it belongs to everyone, it belongs to no one,
challenges, she finds a career in nursing have helped someone through a hard time or
save lives as a hospital cardiac nurse.
and funding suffers as a result.” And that’s why Beth and husband David Erb are lifetime members of the Friends of the Library and have been generous supporters of EKU Libraries for many years, most recently bequeathing a substantial estate gift for the Library Book Endowment. “A strong library supports a strong faculty in carrying out the University’s mission,” Ms. Erb said. “I prefer to support the entire community rather than a narrow slice of the community.” Ms. Erb earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from EKU and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina. She went on to serve as a clinical social worker, therapist and owner of a counseling practice. Mr. Erb, a Virginia Tech graduate, has been an automotive engineer and college engineering professor. “I’m grateful for Kentucky’s investment in me, and I feel a responsibility to pay it back with my financial contributions,” Ms. Erb said. “It’s one of the ways I can leave a legacy and provide opportunities for the next generation.” Ms. Erb recalled the opportunities she received at Eastern, both in the classroom and with Dance Theatre, and cited the encouragement she received from EKU faculty, particularly Dr. Doug Burnham in social work and Dr. Dan Robinette in communications. “They saw potential in me that I didn’t see in myself,” she said. “I graduated with a clear career path in mind, and the confidence to pursue it.”
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Suzanne Fawbush The President’s Circle celebrates those dedicated alumni and friends who demonstrate their support of EKU’s mission and vision through leadership-level annual gifts of $1,000 or more.
A “LONG-OVERDUE THANK-YOU” From the day she arrived on its New York City campus, Laurel County native Suzanne Fawbush, ’83, stood out at Columbia Law School. “Most of the students had gone to well-known colleges and were confident in their abilities,” Ms.
310
DONORS —————
$2,234,542 RAISED
Fawbush recalled. “I was the first graduate of Eastern to attend Columbia, and one of the few there with a Southern accent.” Three years later, in front of classmates and professors who once had intimidated her, she was still standing out, but now as president of the Law School Senate and student commencement speaker. “My accomplishments at Eastern helped to remind me that I had worked hard to get there, and that I deserved to be there,” said Ms. Fawbush. “Eastern instilled in me the confidence to strive to achieve my dream, and my dream was to become a lawyer.” After practicing corporate law at a New York City law firm, she stopped working to stay home with four daughters. Today, she is chief administrative officer for Grisanti Capital Management, a New York City money management firm. She might call the Big Apple home now, but her legacy lives on at the Big E. Ms. Fawbush and her husband, Christopher Grisanti, endowed the Acacia Scholarship for high-achieving female students from the Eastern Kentucky service region. “I wanted to endow a scholarship because I was able to go to Eastern only because I received an Alumni Scholarship,” she said. “Attending Eastern changed my life, and I wanted to give the same opportunity to future deserving students.” Ms. Fawbush now serves on the EKU Foundation Board. “The contributions of alumni are critical now,” she said. “I ask my fellow alumni to consider endowing a scholarship, making a large contribution or adding Eastern as part of their estate planning. Think of it as a long-overdue thank-you to EKU.”
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Karl Park SIXTY-PLUS YEARS If you had spent that much time on the EKU campus, you might have a hard time walking away, too. Yes, Karl Park, ’70 ’79, might have failed at retirement, but he has always answered the call of his alma mater. After 12 years at Model Laboratory School, four years as an EKU student, 34 years (1970 until his so-called retirement in 2003) as the University’s award-winning sports information director and 11 years since as a part-time employee in EKU Athletics, Mr. Park’s heart for Eastern beats just as strongly today as it ever did. And that explains why he and wife Shelley (Steele) Park, ’80, also an EKU retiree, generously support athletic and academic functions of the University. He initially planned to be a CPA, even majoring in business administration, but Mr. Park spends more time now counting and sharing his blessings. “Eastern is just my life,” he said. “It’s very near and dear to my heart, and Shelley feels the same way. It’s a great school, and President Benson is doing a great job.”
Friends of the Center is the annual giving group for the EKU Center for the Arts, the region’s primary performing arts and entertainment venue. The organization
Mr. Park serves today as executive director of the EKU Athletics Hall of Fame and as coordinator of the Worn
provides sustaining support for the EKU
Cleat Club. The Parks are regular supporters of EKU Athletics as well as Friends of EKU Libraries, and give
Center to enhance the patron experience.
to various endowed scholarships at the University.
It performs educational outreach, funds
When Mr. Park was inducted into the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2005, then-EKU President
facility improvements and brings together
Joanne Glasser commended his loyalty and called him a “consummate professional and team player,” whose “easygoing, unflappable nature together with his strong work ethic and can-do attitude were indispensable to the tremendous success of our intercollegiate athletics program.” Thirteen years later, it still is.
a fun-loving, like-minded community for amazing experiences. Friends of the Center members enjoy exclusive access to performance-enhancing benefits such as premier parking, meet-and-greets with performers, advance notice of shows and early ticket purchasing opportunities.
236
DONORS —————
$85,671 RAISED
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Battelle INVESTMENTS IN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PAY OFF One sometimes-overlooked hallmark of the Eastern Experience is the opportunity for even undergraduate students to participate in meaningful research projects. And Battelle is always on the lookout for college graduates with research skills. And that explains why the nonprofit research and development company has invested so heavily in EKU’s College of Science, giving $40,000 over the past two years to support summer undergraduate research and student travel to conferences. The company has also generously supported the Kentucky State Science and Engineering Fair, held annually on the EKU campus. “One of our goals at our Battelle regional offices is to improve the community you live and work in,” said Mark Needham, site manager at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant in Madison County.
SCHOLARSHIPS PAVE WAY FOR HARD WORK
skills, and investing in the EKU College of Science fits very well with our regional giving guidelines. Anything we can do to help educate our community is a win-win for all of us.”
Kylie Velez is well-acquainted with hard work.
One of the payoffs for Battelle is reflected in the 26 EKU graduates who are currently employed with the
While pursuing her goal of becoming a physi-
company.
cian’s assistant, she works 30-40 hours a week
The EKU College of Science has matched the Battelle gift each of the past two years, allowing the college to
and holds an ambassador position on the
provide summer undergraduate research support to more students, including funds to support students
Treasury Committee of the Pre-Professional
presenting their research at regional and national conferences.
Health Society. Not that her busy schedule has affected her studies; the senior has maintained a GPA of 3.82. Ms. Velez’s work ethic is likely what earned her the Dr. James and Mary Lou Salter Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship, she said, has helped her through school without the crushing weight of debt that plagues many students, especially in the medical field. “Relieving this burden allows me to attend EKU, whereas I may not be able to otherwise.” Ms. Velez graduated in December 2018 with a bachelor’s in biomedical science and a minor in chemistry. She moved back to Colorado with plans to earn the 2,000 patient contact hours she needs to apply to physician’s assistant school. She hopes that her story will inspire others on the same path. “I hope to use my successes to encourage future students in their pursuit of professional graduate programs,” she said.
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“Battelle invests in educational efforts that support STEM (science/technology/engineering/mathematics)
“The financial support provided by Battelle and the college, through the summer research program, helps faculty by advancing their research interests and assists students by allowing them the opportunity to learn to do research with guidance from their faculty members while being paid,” noted Dr. Tom Otieno, dean of the college.
SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDES INSPIRATION TO EXCEL Growing up, Jeremiah Johnson knew he wanted to become a homicide detective. With the help of the Dr. Rodney Gross Diversity Scholarship, he is pursuing that lifelong dream in EKU’s nationally prominent College of Justice and Safety. Beyond alleviating financial burdens, the scholarship has inspired the senior criminal justice and police studies double major to excel academically. In his first year, Mr. Johnson earned the Outstanding Freshman Academic Award both semesters. Nearing graduation, he has maintained a 3.0 GPA and his involvement in several extracurricular activities, including membership in the Rho Eta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the Freshman Academy for Diverse Students, intramural club basketball and the EKU Gospel Ensemble. Grateful for the opportunities the Dr. Rodney Gross Scholarship has given him, Mr. Johnson returns the favor through service to the Colonel community. He earned the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award in January 2018. He has also served as a mentor to other diverse students through the Freshman Academy mentor/ mentee program. After graduating from Eastern, Mr. Johnson plans to pursue a master’s degree in criminology and apply to a police academy, where he will work toward becoming a homicide detective.
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EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jim Guice, ’11 Board Member Coral Springs, FL
Maribeth Berman, ’92 Board Chair Louisville, KY
Richard Mattingly, ’78 Board Member Potomac, MD
Gary Booth, ’62 Board Member Cincinnati, OH
Mary Ousley, ’74 ’86 Board Member Richmond, KY
Don Bornhorst, ’87 Vice Chair Excelsior, MN
Andrew Page, ’92 Board Member Bowie, MD
the classroom. Each class teaches me skills for
Paul Chellgren Board Member Ft. Lauderdale, FL
April Perry, ’86 ’96 Board Member Ashland, KY
leadership roles through both the Dietetics
Melissa Combs-Wright, ’00 Board Member Lexington, KY
Ritchie Rednour Board Member Clay City, KY
Troy Ellis, ’87 Board Member Ann Arbor, MI
Barbara Ricke, ’74 Board Member Lexington, KY
Matt Evans, ’91 Board Member Lexington, KY
Craig Turner, ’75 Board of Regents Representative Lexington, KY
Suzanne Fawbush, ’83 Board Member New York, NY Amy Jo Gabel, ’05 Alumni Board Representative Smyrna, TN
Gabe Uebel, ’97 ’98 Board Member Lawrenceburg, KY Donald Whitaker, ’62 Board Member Muncie, IN
Eastern Kentucky University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice. Any complaint arising by reason of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Office of Equity and Inclusion, Rice House, Eastern Kentucky University, 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, Kentucky 40475-3102, (859) 622-8020 or the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building, 400MarylandAvenue,SW,Washington,DC.202021-800-421-3481(V),1-800-877-8339(TDD).2018FoundationReport_MT17
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A LIFE CHANGED
President Michael Benson EKU President Richmond, KY
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Going to college was always a part of the plan, but EKU was an easy choice because of the financial support I received — small scholarships add up quickly! I expected to get a strong education in dietetics, but I didn’t expect the hands-on opportunities both in and outside interacting with clients that go far beyond book knowledge. I have also been honored with Association and Student Alumni Ambassadors, giving me a unique perspective on the history of EKU and strong sense of pride. EKU is amazing! When I graduate, I know I want to give back to my program to help others the way I have been helped. Thank you to those who have invested in my EKU experience.
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— Kayla Huff Class of 2019, London, KY
PICK YOUR PASSION. MAKE YOUR GIFT. CREATE OPPORTUNITY. When you make a gift to the Eastern Fund, you are giving more than an education — you are creating opportunities! Scholarships allow students to focus on their classes and take some of the burden off of figuring out how to pay for college. Gifts to programs provide the resources for students to have more hands-on experiences and better prepare them for their professional careers. Giving to the University’s greatest needs is a worthy investment in student success.
HOW TO GIVE You can invest in EKU student success, academic excellence or campus revitalization with a gift or new pledge. Please use the included envelope or visit go.eku.edu/give to make a gift by debit or credit card. If you want more information about establishing a named scholarship or need instructions for specialized gift options (such as naming EKU in your will or gifts of real estate and stock), please contact us at:
859-622-1583 or email
giving @ eku.edu Find more stories about your impact at: development.eku.edu/impact
STAY CONNECTED @EKUalums EKU Alumni & Friends development.eku.edu
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