Berry family charitable trust will support students with adaptive needs

When it came time for Jayne Berry to look for colleges, she and her family knew they were looking for somewhere special. Diagnosed with a learning disability in the 7th grade, Jayne was looking for a school that was the right size and with the right support system to help her succeed.

After considering several options, a recommendation from family friends in Dothan, Alabama, led Jayne and her parents, Bryan and Liz, to a university that met all their criteria. Eight hours from their home in Tampa, Florida, Jayne found a home away from home at Troy University.

Hoping to help future students take advantage of the community feel and support systems at TROY, the Berry family established the Berry Family Endowed Scholarship

Fund through a charitable remainder trust to provide scholarships for students with adaptive needs.

“With this gift that we will give to the University, in time, hopefully, it will help others, and down the road, they will pay it forward to the next group,” Bryan said.

Bryan worked 40 years as a Mechanical Contractor in the Tampa area, rising through the ranks right out of high school to eventually become President and co-owner of the business. The company recently sold, and the Berry family was looking for a way to invest those proceeds to meet their goals of securing income now for their retirement, while looking for a way to provide a major gift to impact TROY students with adaptive needs in the future. A