Donor Stories

On April 27th, PLU hosted a dinner bringing together endowed scholarship donors with the students and faculty who have directly benefited from their generosity. A highlight of the evening was an interview between Vice President for Advancement Daniel Lee and First Year student Christine Njiri.

“We’re committed to the university’s growth as a whole. We want to see this place continue to blossom.” – Anita Christian. Learn why Anita’s family is supporting PLU with a legacy gift.

Pete ’78 and Joan (Nelson) Mattich ’77 are grateful for the opportunities and experiences that PLU gave them as students. “I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without those four years at PLU,” Joan says. “The university has given us so much; we want to give back.”

As a longtime pilot for FedEx, Tom Buskirk ’83 considers his profession a technical one. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t value a liberal arts education, or the idea that a university should encourage its students to serve others.

Brian Bradshaw ’07 believed that an education makes the difference on how we see the world. Even after his death, his legacy of service lives on through an endowed scholarship created by his parents.

David Wytko ’65 came to PLU after years in the workplace and he loved his PLU experience. Years later, he is still giving back to the school that he calls “the best thing that could have happened to me.”

Eva Frey Johnson was the first in her family to attend college. Her mother, Benilda Regist Arinto Frey, was determined to have her daughter get a college education, so Eva decided to set up a scholarship fund to honor her mother. Learn her story.

Kyle Nowadnick’s gift of a life insurance policy will benefit Pacific Lutheran University well into its future.

Joel Larson chose to attend Pacific Lutheran University after experiencing our strong sense of community. This connection has lasted him throughout the years, and now Joel is using planned giving to stay connected to PLU after his lifetime.

Carol F. Brandenburg-Smith ’80 grew up in a family that valued generosity. Carol now thinks of the Pacific Lutheran University community as her family as well, and she has given generously to support the school’s future students. How?

Jerry ’62 and Carolyn (Breuer ’63) Haralson met at PLU, and graduated one year apart. They both joke that, after attending this year’s 50th reunion at Homecoming for Jerry, they’ll be right back next year, doing it all over again for Carolyn — which is certainly fine with them.

For Mike ’83 and Beco Larson, attending PLU is money well invested. And the couple is giving back to help future PLU students.

Giving the opportunity of a valued education is what led Craig and Carrie Cammock to support Pacific Lutheran University. Will you join them in supporting education?

Norm Forness was inspirational. He inspired his classmates to donate to PLU in honor of their 50th class reunion. But that’s not all. Read on to learn more.

The Lute experience can be infectious. Jon Kvinsland ’63 caught the bug early in life and has been passing it along ever since.

Betty and Orin Amundson left estate gifts to Pacific Lutheran University. In recognition of their generosity that will help educate future generations of PLU students, the couple belonged to the Heritage Society.

Pat Wilson did not attend Pacific Lutheran University, but she has decided to create a legacy of giving at PLU. Read on to find out what ignited her passion for PLU and how she is giving back.

Georgia ’59 and Denis Bailey have seen firsthand how a PLU education can build a successful career. Now the couple is supporting PLU through a charitable gift annuity, which benefits their family and PLU for years to come.

The way Gary Mitchell ’80 tells it, his decision to attend PLU in the late 1970s had a lot to do with the idea of being close enough, but not too close, to his Bay Area, California, home.

Laura Polcyn has a special spot in her heart for transfer students, as she was one herself, transferring from Tacoma Community College to finish her degree at PLU. She had saved enough money from two years of full-time work to be able to afford PLU.

Gifts in memory of a loved one are a cherished part of the close relationship with the university that are often built by PLU families.

The Edlund family has been intertwined with PLU for many years. To show their appreciation for the university, they are giving back in a big way. Keep reading to find out how they are making a difference.

Call her sharp. Call her entertaining. Call her witty. Call her irrepressible. But whatever you do, hang on. It’s a wild ride in the world of Volly Grande ’36 ’65.

Scott and Sherith Squires’ story started at—and just keeps coming back to—Pacific Lutheran University. They met at PLU and graduated in 1988. He was a Communication major and a football player; she was a Psychology major and a cheerleader.

When Annabelle Birkestol ’45 was deciding which college to go to, her mother gave her an offer she couldn’t refuse. She told Annabelle to check out Pacific Lutheran University and, if she went there, she would pay for it.

David and Marilyn Knutson have always supported Pacific Lutheran University through annual gifts and by hosting PLU guests in their home. Now, Marilyn’s gift through her estate plan will honor her husband’s memory and sponsor a lectureship long into the future.

Sean Howell graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 2002, and is using his education in entrepreneurial endeavors. He is also supporting future students by including PLU in his estate plan and endowing a fund to support students and programs.

Robert Parker would have graduated from PLU in 1944, if World War II hadn’t intervened. Like so many of his peers, Robert was drafted into the war effort and headed to Europe. There, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge, for which he earned the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the U.S. Army.

Kyle Franklin ’07 starting supporting Pacific Lutheran University as a student and continues to give back in the years since graduation. He hopes his story will encourage other alumni to contribute.

As a past transfer student, Brenda Morris knows the importance of eventually graduating from a top-notch university like PLU. That is why she has chosen to give back by funding scholarships that will help students who would like to transfer to PLU.