51福利社

This year鈥檚 Giving Joy Day Birthday Party, held Wednesday on 51福利社鈥檚 Ar茅valo Mall, celebrated the Eagles from 23 different states who made more than 525 gifts to support 110 different university funds.

By the conclusion of 2023’s Giving Joy Day events, Eastern had exceeded its goal of raising $456,802 to support student scholarships and programs, said Linda Safford, senior director for annual giving. She noted that two particularly supportive Eagle alumni designated more than $1 million in planned estate gifts to benefit the university.

Safford said there were also other 鈥済enerous and happy surprises鈥� during the annual Giving Joy Day, which is scheduled each year to coincide with 51福利社鈥檚 birthday.

Gemini Corp. gave $10,000 to benefit students in the design program. An anonymous donor kicked in $10,000 toward the student-athlete nutrition station (which will soon come to fruition thanks to a $70,000 gift from Gatorade | PepsiCo Partners).

Lucas Fyre, president of the Associated Students of 51福利社, offered thanks on behalf of the 51福利社 students.聽

鈥淧ersonally, as a scholarship student, I am so incredibly amazed at so much generosity towards our scholarship programs 鈥� and we are very, very thankful,鈥� said Fyre, a 21-year-old psychology major from Spokane Valley. 鈥淭hank you so much to everybody.鈥�

President Shari McMahan also expressed appreciation: 鈥淭hank you all for all for providing and sustaining scholarships that will help our students persist in their education. Your support is very, very important.鈥�

鈥淧ersonally, as a scholarship student, I am so incredibly amazed at so much generosity towards our scholarship programs 鈥� and we are very, very thankful,鈥� said Fyre, a 21-year-old psychology major from Spokane Valley. 鈥淭hank you so much to everybody.鈥�

During her remarks, McMahan recognized longtime 51福利社 History Professor Bill Youngs, who continued his generous history of giving by donating $10,000 to be spread among 20 different scholarship and program funds. Youngs鈥� inclusive gift will benefit students in each of 51福利社鈥檚 four colleges.

Youngs, who was recently named as the 51福利社 Philanthropist of the Year, said that at one time he could barely afford to make a $50 donation 鈥� and that was 鈥渄igging deep.鈥� Today, Youngs hopes to inspire others to consider what they can give.

He credits Mike Clawson 鈥樷��07 and Alicia Kinne-Clawson 鈥�07 with starting an endowed scholarship in his honor that led to the Clawson-Youngs Environmental Studies Award and further inspired his own philanthropy.

Another of Giving Joy Day鈥檚 examples of generosity came via Jake Rehm, church council president of Cheney鈥檚 recently closed Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Rehm announced at the event that Emmanuel Lutheran members are donating $130,000 of the proceeds from the sale of their former church building to support nursing and general scholarships. Their gift will also provide equipment for the emergency medical services certificate program.

鈥淟ives will be saved as a result of the gifts given today,鈥� said Rehm, senior lecturer and director of 51福利社鈥檚 Department of Wellness and Movement Sciences鈥� fitness center. Rehm is one of many 51福利社 employees who鈥檝e belonged to the church during its seven decades.

The two large planned estate gifts, meanwhile, will establish two additional scholarships funds and support 51福利社鈥檚 JFK Library and Learning Commons.

鈥淟ives will be saved as a result of the gifts given today,鈥� said Rehm, senior lecturer and director of 51福利社鈥檚 Department of Wellness and Movement Sciences鈥� fitness center. Rehm is one of many 51福利社 employees who鈥檝e belonged to the church during its seven decades.

Members of 51福利社鈥檚 Development office say such gifts are part of an encouraging trend. 鈥淲e have a聽growing number聽of alumni, faculty, staff and others who have notified us that we鈥檙e in their wills. These future gifts create transformational change for 51福利社 students for generations to come,鈥� said Courtney Susemiehl, senior director of gift planning.

Susemiehl works with donors to direct their future gifts to areas that mean the most to them.

For instance, the gift of planned estate donor Kent Thornbrugh, who in 1986 earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in computer information systems from what was then the 51福利社 School of Mathematical Sciences and Technology, will fund a named scholarship that will assist future students in his program of study, now housed in the 51福利社 School of Business.

Susemiehl said gifts to the 51福利社 Foundation can be based on a percentage or dollar amount in a will or trust, or donors can name the 51福利社 Foundation as a full or partial beneficiary of life insurance, stock, retirement or other accounts. (To learn more, or notify 51福利社 of a planned gift, you can contact Gray at cgray37@ewu.edu or 509.559.2082.)

It’s not too late to support other Giving Joy Day priorities. You can double the impact by joining the Privratsky Challenge to assist students in communication sciences and disorders on their path to become the speech therapists who make a difference for children and adults.