Inspire, Fall/Winter 2010

Establishing a Memorial Endowment As Dustin completed his senior year at Cedarville, Greg sensed that he had found the right opportunity and the right time to make his memorial gift. “The connections between my father and my son and the way the faculty had taken an interest in his success all came together in a way that made it clear: this was the time, and this was the place,” he said. Shortly before Dustin’s graduation, Greg honored his father by establishing the Winchester Engineering Fund. Greg’s decision to support engineering projects at Cedarville was influenced by his appreciation for the University, the engineering program, and its faculty. “I know what the projects mean to the program and to the students,” he said. “I wanted this gift to help give the department stronger financial footing.” Greg’s gift has been invested by the University and will accumulate interest to help fund ongoing engineering projects and competitions. The endowment will produce a perpetual revenue source that will help fund hands-on experiences for tomorrow’s engineers. Others may contribute to the Winchester Engineering Fund, increasing the long-term value of this gift. This endowment is the first of its kind for the engineering program, and that was part of the appeal when Greg worked with Cedarville’s gift planning team to draw up the plans. “I appreciated the flexibility and creativity of the gift planning staff to work with me to accomplish exactly what I wanted this gift to do,” he said. “It was fun to collaborate and learn how the endowment would work to help the engineering program in a brand-new way.” Celebrating a Faithful Man “I enjoy giving, and I love joyful giving even more,” Greg said. “Establishing this endowment was truly a joyful experience. My dad was a strong believer. He was known for that. I know he would be pleased not only to know this endowment was made to honor his life’s work, but that it was made at a university that honors his life’s commitment to Christ.” Making this gift even more special, Greg worked on the endowment together with his son. Dustin is named as a trustee of the fund and will receive annual progress reports about its investment growth, payments made to the engineering program, and how they will be used to advance the program. Greg’s gift has created a special way for his son to steward his grandfather’s legacy at Cedarville in the lives of engineering students. “My grandfather was a great man,” Dustin said. “He spent hours with the grandkids — telling us stories and entertaining us with jokes. He was an engineer and an active member in his church and community. Making this gift is our way of remembering him. I look forward to receiving updates from the University about how the endowment will be used. It’s encouraging to know that something that was so instrumental in my life will be there for others to enjoy.” “The academic experience Dustin had at Cedarville was outstanding,” Greg said, “and he grew spiritually through ministry opportunities and his Bible minor. Where else can you find that combination? His engineering projects, faculty, and classmates allowed him to realize his God-given potential. As a parent, that’s what you hope for in your son’s education.” To learn more about how you can make a memorial gift or endowment, visit cedarville.edu/giftlegacy . To contribute to the Winchester Engineering Fund, call 1-800-766-1115 to speak with our experienced gift planning staff. Carol Lee ’96 is the senior communication specialist in marketing and also serves as managing editor for Inspire . You may contact her at carollee@cedarville.edu . “Greg’s gift has created a special way for his son to steward his grandfather’s legacy at Cedarville in the lives of engineering students.” ANYONE CAN ENGINEER A We’ l l provide the tool s you need: Month l y eNews wi th t ime l y f i nanc i a l updates Award-wi nn i ng webs i te wi th gi f t l aw i nformat i on for profes s i ona l adv i sor s Easy- to -use gi f t pl ann i ng ca l cu l ator Compl imentar y wi l ls gu i de Exper i enced s ta f f ready to speak wi th you Bu i ld your pl an at cedar v i l l e. edu/gi f t l egacy 1-800-766-1115 Margaret (Stowell) Wheeler ‘64 Associate Professor of Communication Arts advanc ing Cedarv i l le