Our association with Alice Lloyd College began in 1965 when I got a letter to see if I would be interested in the position of Director of Development. Bob Stuhr, our consultant at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, was also the consultant for Alice Lloyd. I received a great deal of information about Alice Lloyd which intrigued me. However, we decided to stay at North Central.
I never forgot our experience and often said that I needed to visit Alice Lloyd before I died. It took 40 years, but that time came in 2005 when my wife and I were heading back home from a Children’s Hospital conference in Washington, D. C. What an experience. We got lost in the hills of Kentucky and stopped to get directions. At the convenience store we asked about the College and out of the back of the store, someone said, “Are you looking for Alice Lloyd? I went there and I’ll show you how to get to the College. It turned out that getting there was an experience in itself, fortunately for us.
We arrived on the day after graduation and there was no one around. We wandered through the campus and were impressed.
After that, we went to Red Bird Mission in Beverly, Kentucky. Red Bird was started by Dr. Schaeffer from North Central and a member of our home Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) Church. Our church was a regular donor to the Mission.
On the way home, JoAnn and I talked about doing something for the Mission and the College. By the time we got back to Naperville, we had the plan formulated. We would start a $1,000.00 per year scholarship for each class for the four years. The stipulation was that students from Red Bird would be first in line. If no one from Red Bird was available, then the College would select a student.
This program was started in 2005. My employer, Northwestern Mutual, has matched us each year to help out. The students who receive the scholarships have met us as we have attended the College’s October event, Appalachia Day Homecoming, from 2006 to the present. It is fun seeing the students and getting to know them.
It has been said that a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated. JoAnn and I feel that here. This program will continue long after we are gone. Our children will continue this.
We look forward to many more trips.
Help us continue the work of Mrs. Alice Lloyd and countless others by giving to Alice Lloyd College! With gifts from people like you, we can continue to offer a quality education to the young people of Appalachia. Click here to make your gift today!