A Call to Action

Why We Give: Robert '83 '91 and Kim Dooley '86

In 2018, Gary and Kathleen Rollins made a $40-million commitment to name the Gary W. Rollins College of Business, by far the most substantial gift in the history of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

The Rollins’ philanthropic investment has already had a significant impact on the college, providing critical assistance for students and faculty and funding present and future facilities. The contribution, as far-reaching as it was, was not the culmination of creative charitable effort; rather, it functioned as a springboard.

Around the time that gift was presented, Kim and Robert Dooley were sitting down and rewriting their will.

The Dooleys, who first met as undergraduate liberal arts majors at UTC, had long discussed doing something to support students at their alma mater. Kim received a bachelor’s degree in history (pre-law specialization) in 1986, while Robert—dean of the College of Business since 2011—received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religion in 1983 before subsequently obtaining an MBA in 1991.

The Rollins gift provided the impetus they needed.

“That really pushed us in a lot of ways,” says Robert of the Rollins’ financial commitment. Gary Rollins, a 1967 business graduate, is the chief executive officer of Rollins, Inc., the U.S.’s largest pest management company. Kathleen Rollins is the director of the Rollins Foundation. “Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Rollins and Mrs. Rollins, it put us in the mindset of, ‘Wow, if they can do that, then all of us should be doing something, right?’

“We have this alumnus and his wife giving this transformational gift to the college and we wanted to be part of this and be contributors as well. Their gift motivated us to want to give even more.”

The Dooleys created the Kim and Robert Dooley Scholarship for International Study Fund. Leaning on their backgrounds as liberal arts majors at UTC, the endowed scholarship is evenly divided to benefit students in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the Gary W. Rollins College of Business.

Scholarship preference is given to undergraduate students who have never had an international study abroad experience. The minimum GPA of 2.5 is intended to make the opportunity open to as many students within those two colleges as possible.

“I think it can make such a difference in students’ lives to be able to travel abroad,” Kim says. “It gives them a different perspective of the world, and not a lot of students have that opportunity. So every little bit that they can get can help them be able to do that.”

“We established the scholarship because we both would have welcomed the opportunity to study abroad when we were here,” Robert says, “but financially, neither one of us could afford to do that.”

During Robert’s stint as a faculty member at Oklahoma State University, the couple developed a passion for taking students on international trips, traveling to Southeast Asia and Africa to expose students to developing parts of the world. They note how rewarding it has been to watch students who had never traveled overseas before—and who were suddenly out of their comfort zone—engage and interact with local cultures.

“By the time they leave a study abroad trip,” Robert says, “they’re a little bit more self-confident. They’re much more self-aware in terms of their interaction with the world. They have a little bit deeper understanding of the complexities of the world, and I think it personally transforms many of them.

“It puts in perspective where your life fits into the greater complexities of the universe.”

The Dooleys’ initial gift planning strategy has subsequently been supplemented by a significant estate contribution to strengthen and grow the scholarship.

“It feels great to be able to do this,” Kim says. “When you see the impact a gift can have, you wish more alums would do something like this if they have the capability to do it.”

Says Robert, “Looking back at where we came from, to be back here on this campus and be in a position to be able to give back is extremely satisfying.”

We established the scholarship because we both would have welcomed the opportunity to study abroad when we were here, but financially, neither one of us could afford to do that.

- Robert Dooley