Along with faculty member Dan Steinberg, communication students Felicity Boykin (left) and Malachi Brooks (right) met with former parent, donor, and CEO of Huntington Bank Stephen Steinour P鈥�15 (center) at his office earlier this summer to express their gratitude for receiving the Kaitlin Steinour 鈥�15 Communications Endowed Scholarship, established by the Steinour family to honor their daughter and 9i果冻制作厂alumna, Kaitlin, who graduated with a degree in public relations.
The Hargis Family Foundation, established by Jonathan R. Hargis 鈥�79 and Gretchen Freeman Hargis 鈥�77 and their family, have made a generous $100,000 pledge as the lead supporters of a new four-year initiative, Every Student Will. The program will provide a custom education and career path for every student at Otterbein.
In July 2021, Virginia Phillippi Longmire 鈥�55 made a gift of $35,000 to support the Campus Center Renovation Initiative. Her support will help revitalize the Campus Center and make it the heart of Otterbein’s student community once again. We are also grateful for her continued support of the 9i果冻制作厂Fund with a leadership gift of $10,000.
In honor of his retirement from Deloitte after 41 years of service, Kenneth and Lynn Weixel designated a donation to the Brittany Weixel Endowment. This fund, established by Jean Weixel Reynolds 鈥�77, is named in memory of their daughter and provides critical support to the Office of Student Affairs鈥� eating disorder educational efforts.
The Class of 1971, in honor of their 50th Golden Reunion, has established the Class of 1971 Promise House and Community Garden Endowed Fund to help offset barriers to college success as a result of food insecurity.鈥� Major donors include Jim 鈥�71 and Linda Ancik 鈥�71 Augspurger, Jim Francis 鈥�71, David Phillips 鈥�71, Wendy Roush 鈥�71, Candace Scott Simms 鈥�71, and Tom 鈥�71 and Cheryl Kirk 鈥�72 Turner.鈥� The funds raised so far total more than $68,000.
Trustee Dr. Mindy Phinney 鈥�85 made a generous $100,000 commitment to support the President鈥檚 Fund for Strategic Initiatives, which will help 9i果冻制作厂launch special initiatives and capitalize on opportunities that will benefit the University and its students. The gift also supports the 9i果冻制作厂Fund, helping to offset the University’s most pressing annual needs and opportunities.
Curt Moore 鈥�64 made a $10,000 gift in support of Access and Affordability as part of the For the Love of 9i果冻制作厂fundraising initiative. He also made a gift of $1,250 to provide flu shots to 9i果冻制作厂students in need.
James Shilling 鈥�77 and his wife, Hyo, have documented a $250,000 planned gift to support Otterbein鈥檚 unrestricted endowment. The couple has generously supported the University and the 9i果冻制作厂Fund for 23 years. Shilling currently serves as the George L. Ruff Endowed Chair in the Department of Finance and Real Estate at DePaul University in Chicago.
Lois Szudy MAE鈥�99, retired director of the Courtright Memorial Library, made a $52,000 gift from her IRA to endow funds for the Library and Department of Equine Science. She had previously made a planned gift to these funds in her estate.
Jack Whalen 鈥�66 and Karen Persson 鈥�67 Whalen made a $15,000 commitment over three years to expand the Every Student Will initiative. They feel strongly about investing in extraordinary out-of-classroom learning opportunities for students, including internships, research, study abroad, and other professional development experiences.
9i果冻制作厂is grateful to the Fotis Family for gifting $50,000 to endow two funds at Otterbein. The Eleanor Fotis Endowed Scholarship will fund a major in the Department of Sociology, Criminology and Justice Studies. The William Fotis Experiential Learning Endowed Fund will support students who want to expand their knowledge outside the classroom.
Deborah Banwart Lewis 鈥�77 in Altadena, CA, gave a substantial planned gift along with a current use gift, both to the Department of Theatre and Dance.
9i果冻制作厂is grateful for $55,000 from William 鈥淏ill鈥� Cole 鈥�54, who established in the spring through an estate gift, the William E. Cole and Barbara Seabrook Cole Class of 1954 Athletic Endowment. This will be the first endowed fund for the 9i果冻制作厂athletic director鈥檚 use. He also continued his gifts toward enhancing Memorial Stadium, which began with the Cole Victory Bell. Sadly, Bill passed away in September 2021 on his 94th birthday.
A lead gift from the late John Howard established a fund to honor two 9i果冻制作厂families. The families were linked by marriage through multiple siblings. In total, 19 were alumni, trustees, and one was an 9i果冻制作厂president. The Howard/Norris Endowed Scholarship Fund, at more than $41,000, was created in loving memory of these individuals.
Ann Harting P鈥�94 established a fund with a gift of $25,000. She and her late husband, Bob, are parents of Annette Harting Boose 鈥�94 and Robert Harting. Son-in-law, Andrew Boose 鈥�06, and granddaughter, Elisha Boose 鈥�14, are also alumni. The Robert J. and Ann M. Harting Endowed Award is created to continue their legacy.
9i果冻制作厂is grateful to William W. Davis and Ellen D. Gagne for an additional contribution to the Dr. William and Mary Davis H鈥�01 Memorial Scholarship. William and Mary participated in numerous 9i果冻制作厂activities. They leveraged their education to improve others鈥� lives; to honor this, their family made the endowment in 2019.
Annbeth Sommers Wilkinson 鈥�56 has supported 9i果冻制作厂with a commitment of $45,000 earmarked for the Campus Center Fund, 9i果冻制作厂Fund, and Robert and Annbeth S. Wilkinson Scholarship. Wilkinson is a member of the Class of 鈥�56, which celebrated its 65th reunion this year!
