Element of Surprise

Library book leads to long marriage and special birthday gift to honor former student worker

by Clay V. Trainum

Longtime Middle Tennessee State University donor Don Witherspoon wanted to surprise his wife, Hanna, with a gift that would resonate for years to come.

Nearly 60 years ago, a chance meeting at the MTSU library blossomed into a love that has lasted, and it’s in celebration of this that Don recently created the Hanna Romans Witherspoon Endowed Scholarship.

"Hanna worked here while we were in school," Don said. One day he dashed into the library to return a book, and he was sweaty because he'd been running for a military commitment; Hanna quipped that the book was early and he didn't have to run it in. The rest is history.

This year, for her birthday, Don had an idea. "She has everything she needs," he said, "and I thought this would be a nice way to honor her on her birthday.”

“He surprised me!” Hanna interjected. “I was really happy because I had a really close relationship with the people here at the library. I was really involved in the library and worked here all four years, and I thought this scholarship was a great way to give back to the University.”

Hanna and Don Witherspoon

The $25,000 gift creates an award that will go to a student in the MTSU Honors College who also works for the library. As one of the largest employers of students on campus, Walker Library’s operation is dependent on these workers every single day.

These workers become especially important in the evenings, allowing the building to remain open until 2 a.m. for the majority of the school year.

“Working in the library was a learning tool for me, and I really enjoyed it,” Hanna said. “I was an English major, and it helped me with doing papers. I sure learned how to use that card catalog. It took up a lot of my free time to work here, but I didn’t resent it for one minute.”

Born to Czech parents in the Philippines, Hanna moved to Tennessee as a child and later graduated from high school and then Middle Tennessee State University in 1964. She married Don shortly thereafter and pursued a career in teaching and then with American Airlines. The couple moved around the country before returning and settling in Murfreesboro for retirement in 2000.

Dale Clifford

Dale Clifford, a Psychology major with minors in Social Work and Musical Theatre, is the first recipient of the Hanna Romans Witherspoon scholarship. Clifford, who received the award this spring, is on track to graduate in December 2022 and is working on an Honors thesis studying the positive effects of music therapy in school.

How to Give Back

The James E. Walker Library, as well as MTSU as a whole, depends on private support for scholarships, special events, projects, and assistance for updates in materials and new technology that today’s college students require and that MTSU must provide to remain one of the best universities in the U.S. (Princeton Review).

We not only need to ensure that current students have every opportunity to gain scholarships, but we also must secure funds for our future students. The library is a perfect example of where funding is needed to help educate, support, and strengthen both today’s and tomorrow’s college students.

If you would like to help, please visit library.mtsu.edu/give to support the library. You can email me at paul.wydra@mtsu.edu or call my office at 615-898-5329. Thank you for your continued and future support of MTSU and the James E. Walker Library.

Sincerely,

Director of Development Intitiatives

Paul Wydra

Paul Wydra