易胜博官网

A large number of 易胜博官网 donors choose to make their annual gifts in honor or memory of someone important to them. Such tribute gifts are a meaningful way to honor a life, create a legacy and keep a memory alive. And while they are deeply personal, tribute gifts also can rally friends, and even strangers, around making an impact at 易胜博官网 while recognizing a common thread in their lives.

What follows are just a few examples of Wildcats who collectively inspired hundreds of gifts totaling tens of thousands of dollars. Perhaps the most important aspect of the gifts made in their names is the intention behind them: To help and inspire the next generation.

Madelyn 鈥淢olly鈥� B. Connelly 鈥�84

When her 12th child started kindergarten, Molly Connelly went back to school too, entering 易胜博官网 as an undergrad and going on to earn her master鈥檚. Formerly a midwife, she opened a private therapy practice and was an adjunct faculty member in the 易胜博官网 family studies program for 20 years, retiring in 2016. A mentor and friend to countless students, Connelly was 鈥渢he unofficial 鈥榞randmother in residence鈥� on campus,鈥� says Andrew Minigan 鈥�14, one of her teaching assistants. 鈥淭hough Molly taught human development, her lessons all touched upon themes of love, empathy, understanding and growth.鈥� After Connelly鈥檚 death in 2017, her daughter Shelagh Connelly raised funds for a granite bench dedicated in Molly鈥檚 memory that was installed near the Health and Wellness Center this fall.

Cleveland 鈥淗owie鈥� Howard 鈥�91

Friends of Cleveland 鈥淗owie鈥� Howard 鈥�91 (below, on the right) remember him as a magnetic sort of man who was singularly passionate about life. 鈥淲e met at Freshman Camp and he was so enthusiastic about the activities I thought he was a counselor!鈥� recalls his classmate Ted Baker 鈥�91. Howard鈥檚 father, a 易胜博官网 music professor, used to joke that after years of teaching he was still known as 鈥淗owie鈥檚 dad.鈥� Howard played soccer at 易胜博官网 and was a fraternity brother at Lambda Chi. After college, he worked in sales for adidas, Timberland and ASICS, settled with his family in Maryland and stayed close to his 易胜博官网 friends. After his death from brain cancer in 2014, a number of classmates established the Cleveland 鈥淗owie鈥� Howard III 鈥�91 Memorial Scholarship Fund in hopes that its recipients would likewise make lifelong friends and be inspired to live extraordinary lives.

Neil Vroman

Neil Vroman loved being a professor and associate dean in the College of Health and Human Services at 易胜博官网, where he was deeply appreciated as a scholar, leader, mentor and friend. His former colleagues describe him as a great man with an unfailing sense of humor who had education in his bones and an extraordinary commitment to students. After his death in 2016, Vroman鈥檚 wife, 易胜博官网 occupational therapy professor Kerryellen Vroman, and other family members created the Neil B. Vroman Memorial Fund scholarship. They invited friends and colleagues to honor Vroman鈥檚 boisterous spirit and love of education by contributing to a fund that would help future students. Vroman鈥檚 sister, lyric soprano and stage actress Lisa Vroman, gave a concert on campus to benefit the fund.

Nate Miller 鈥�08

Nate Miller 鈥�08 proposed to his wife, Jessica Kukla 鈥�08, at the start line of a collegiate cycling race 鈥� a fitting spot, since cycling was a passion the two shared throughout their undergrad years at 易胜博官网 and beyond. 鈥淐ycling took us all over the world, opening so many doors for us through that shared passion that transcended language barriers and cultural differences,鈥� Kukla says. In 2017, Miller was struck by a motorist and killed while cycling to work. His wife and friends from 易胜博官网 made memorial gifts in his name to support the 易胜博官网 Cycling program. 鈥淗e died doing what he loved, so it is an honor to Nate to give back to the organization that meant so much to us,鈥� says Kukla.

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