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Alumni and Friends Grow Endowment, Leave a Legacy

For decades, generous alumni and friends of Tri-State and Trine have supported the school's endowment, from which the administration uses the interest to support scholarships for talented students and exceptional faculty and to purchase needed lab and classroom materials. Currently the school's endowment stands at $23 million. Without the annual income it provides, the administration would have to support these initiatives with tuition dollars, driving up costs for all students.

The following individuals have already established estate agreements with Trine University that will ultimately benefit endowments created to fund priorities they feel passionate about and that support the University's needs.

Ross-Rinker School of Health Sciences

Dr. James Ross Rinker, a 1958 business administration graduate from Binghamton, New York, designated a $2.5 million estate gift for the addition to Best Hall of Sciences. The Rinker-Ross School of Health Sciences is named in his honor. His support, dedication and generosity will ensure a first-class learning environment to support all students of Trine University.

The John and Betty Parks Faculty Chair in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering

John Parks, a 1956 aeronautical engineering graduate, and his wife, Betty, from Snohomish, Wash., have made plans through a trust arrangement to establish a faculty chair for the Wade Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering Department upon their deaths. This named faculty chair will be awarded to a faculty member in the department to enhance the continuing educational needs of department faculty, provide meaningful reallife student projects and allow the University to attract and retain talented faculty.

The Steve and Wendy LaHood Endowed Business Professorship

Steve LaHood, a 1970 business administration graduate, and his wife, Wendy, of Sarasota, Fla., have made arrangements to create a named endowed professorship for the Ketner School of Business. This endowment will be funded with the proceeds from a paid life insurance policy that names Trine University as the sole beneficiary. The proceeds from the endowment will allow Trine to compete for and retain outstanding faculty members in this discipline.

Trine's long-term goal is to have $100 million in endowment funds to support students and faculty. As we continue along the path to maintaining excellence and creating educational pre-eminence, this must be a priority for the University. Peer institutions have created much larger endowments than Trine over many years, but through the already recognized success of the currently underway Invest in Excellence capital campaign, we will add approximately $20 million to our current total.