Lifetime Gift, Lifetime Impact

Planned Giving Supporting Generations of Students

biology professional entering the job market. He accepted a six-month position with the American Conservation Experience (ACE) where he worked for room, board and a small stipend, but the hands-on learning was invaluable. “It gave me the experience I needed to get my foot in the door,” he says.

Short stints with organizations, including the Nature Conservancy and the State of Texas, gave Whipple the chance to travel and pick up skills like herbicide spraying, invasive plant removal and Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping. He surveyed endangered whooping cranes and helped rescue sea turtles, landing himself bragging rights and a social media-worthy photo. “Not a lot of students get to say that they’ve helped save sea turtles.”

In addition to gaining on-the-job experience, Whipple learned that ESU graduates are preceded by the strong reputation of the biology department, something he learned networking with others during his field study experiences. For example, he worked on a rope-dragging project with a graduate student in North Dakota whose previous year’s hire was also an ESU student. His crew leader at ACE was familiar with the quality work of ESU grads. Whipple was able to help another ESU alum land a spot at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. “It just goes to show you how important networking is,” he says. “The people you know make a big difference.”

From his start as what he refers to as a paid volunteer position to his work as an assistant crew leader, Whipple adds every skill to his field kit. Now, he’s looking forward to starting a government position as a biological science technician at Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge in South Dakota. After that, maybe graduate school. “We are a part of our planet and the ecosystem that we live in, and it is important for humanity that we preserve our planet and the things that keep it running right.”

Hands-on learning experiences are great ways for students to expand their skill sets and graduate career ready. You can help make more of these kinds of opportunities possible for future Hornets by supporting the Together, Forward campaign.

“The hope is for somebody to get the direction and inspiration from Emporia State that we got,” said Bob Gress (BA 74-Biology, MS 76-Biology). He was talking about the gift he and his wife, Mary Butel (BSE 72-Elementary Education, MS 74-Curriculum & Instruction), have left to Emporia State University in their trust.

Gress and Butel feel Emporia State was the catalyst for the life they’ve built together. As students here they had the opportunity to explore the subjects that sparked their curiosity. The couple found themselves drawn to nature and the sciences. Butel became a science educator for 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th-grade students. Gress founded and served as director of the Great Plains Nature Center and became a renowned nature photographer.

“Later in my career, when I was doing presentations at graduate schools, I compared Emporia State to these other schools. I thought, ‘I was lucky I landed in the place that was right for me," said Gress. “I didn’t know it until later, but they [ESU] gave me what I needed.”

The couple doesn’t consider themselves rich. They’ve worked hard all their lives to build up a nest egg for retirement as most people do. When they sat down with a financial planner to work out the details of their retirement, they discovered how simple and easy it is to make a gift through a will or trust. By naming ESU as a beneficiary of their trust, they can make the kind of gift they want to without a big financial expenditure right now. Their gift will allow future students to have their own life-shaping educational experience. “If somebody else can have the experience I had at Emporia State, that would be awesome,” said Butel.

Are you interested in doing what Bob and Mary have done? Learn how easy it is to make a gift by naming Emporia State University in your will or trust. Contact Angela Fullen, director of planned giving at the Emporia State University Foundation. She can answer your questions or help you get started.

If you have already named Emporia State in your will or trust, let Angela know. She will make sure your gift does everything you want it to do.

Angela Fullen � Director of Planned Giving 620-341-6465 � afullen@emporia.edu

“I would encourage anyone, if they are thinking about doing something like this, to contact the Foundation. For us, it has been a great experience.”