Terry Othick: A Legendary Volunteer

Greyhound Gratitude: ENMU Thanks Volunteer Legend Terry Othick

by Todd Fuqua

For more than five decades, Terry Othick (MBA 70 BBA 68) has influenced – and been influenced by – Eastern New Mexico University, starting as a student in 1964 and continuing through his term as an ENMU Regent.

His six-year term on the Board of Regents ends this winter, and Othick recently took the time to look back on the many accomplishments advancing the university he loves.

“As we begin to approach the fourth quarter of 2020, amid the COVID-19 and all of the uncertainty and change it has brought into our daily lives, I would like to thank each of you for your support provided to the ENMU Alumni Association and ENMU Foundation,” Terry said. “Both organizations are significant parts of the University in terms of ENMU fulfilling our mission as an institution of higher education in the State of New Mexico and beyond.”

In addition to serving as a regent, Terry also chaired the annual ENMU Alumni Scholarship Golf Tournament for a decade, and said the experience was rewarding.

Margaret and Terry Othick appear at an ENMU football game with Roxy and Ralph.

Planning and fundraising for the tournament is year-round, and his wife, Margaret “Sissy” (Whitworth ) Othick (MED 74 BS 71), works many hours behind the scenes with Terry. The volunteer couple fills their garage with all the tournament door prizes and supplies for the many golfer goody bags. Sissy sacrifices her parking space in the garage for months, all to help ENMU students.

Terry stated, “one of the most valuable benefits I received from volunteering for ENMU was the friendships I have made from working with the two volunteer boards, the ENMU administrators, other Regents, the dozens of golf tournament sponsors, and hundreds of golfers. The cancellation of our 2020 ENMU Alumni Scholarship Golf Tournament, our 11th annual event, was necessary yet very disappointing.”

Even with canceling this summer’s golf tournament, Terry reported $44,150 raised, and the golf supporters approved redirecting those funds to scholarships, bringing the net revenue over 11 years to $400,150 benefiting scholarships for descendants of ENMU alumni.

“Congratulations to all of you who have been a part of this golf fundraising journey,” Terry said. “I look forward to working with the new tournament chairs so this event can continue to thrive, providing much-needed student scholarships.”

In 55 years – starting in August of 1964 – Terry has been an undergrad, graduate student, staff and faculty member, Alumni Association board member and ENMU Board Regent. His roles on both the Alumni Board and as an ENMU Regent required Terry to also serve as the liason for several as years on the ENMU Foundation Board of Directors.

“Each of these roles gave me a different perspective yet a deeper appreciation of ENMU and the University’s important value to our local, state, and international communities, and especially the students we serve,” Terry added.

Terry spoke of the ENMU Foundation, calling its mission “critical to the success of the entire University.”

“We must continue to work to expand the capabilities and reach of the ENMU Foundation, combined with the efforts of the Alumni Association, to cultivate and grow new donors,” Terry told alumni. “This is especially challenging given our current restrictions on social gatherings and travel, but as our golf tournament donors have recently demonstrated, our stakeholders have a great deal of loyalty to ENMU.”

ENMU Foundation Director Noelle Bartl stated, “Terry is one of the most remarkable, dedicated, and versatile volunteers I have ever had the pleasure to work with. He gives his time, talent and treasure at stellar levels that set the bar super high for others.”

Terry was honored as Volunteer of the Year in 2018 by the ENMU Foundation, was given the Distinguished Service Award by ENMU Alumni Affairs in 2013, and has been inducted into the Theta Zeta Chapter Hall of Fame by his chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

As his Regent term nears an end, and as he trains the next golf tournament chair, all of us at ENMU want to publicly thank Terry and Sissy for demonstrating what it means to give back and help the next generation of leaders. This Greyhound couple definitely bleeds “green and silver” for Eastern.

To help us thank Terry and Sissy, please consider donating in his honor to the Terry L. Othick Scholarship for Educators, or to your favorite fund online at www.enmu.edu/Donate.