U of I Foundation Celebrating 1500养老

Longtime Treasure Valley teacher leaves legacy at UI with scholarship endowment to support future educators

1500未磨标准号. 2 pencils laid end to end stretches just about 938 feet, or just over two and a half football fields.

1,500 pounds of tater tots — a standard of elementary school lunches every where — is about 70,200年的小孩, 足够养活7人以上,500名小学生.

1,500 one-inch three-ring binders (that’s 4,500个环)可以容纳262个,500张家庭作业, note paper and classtime doodles.

At the 365滚球官网 Foundation, 1,500 goes a bit further — that’s the number of fully funded endowments now supporting students, 教师, research and programs at Idaho’s land-grant institution.

That 1,500 amounts to more than $10.2 million in scholarship and program support distributed each year — and $165 million distributed since 1959. Like Shirley, many loyal Vandals choose to leave a gift to UI in their will. As a result, an impressive 34% of endowment gifts come from estates.

The credit for that milestone number goes to the late 雪莉一. (Williamson) Wentz — a lifelong Vandal supporter and dedicated educator — whose gift to the 教育学院 created the 1,500th endowment for UI’s charitable giving organization.

源自考德威尔, Wentz earned her bachelor’s degree in education from UI in 1971 and dedicated her career to educating young minds in the Mountain Home and 博伊西 school districts as an elementary and kindergarten teacher.

“To have a teacher pay it forward to the next generation of teachers is very special,乔伊·费希尔说, director of finance for the Foundation. “It’s gratifying to see that this alumna, who helped so many students during her career, will be remembered and continue to touch lives through education.”

Wentz’s devotion to her students went beyond their time in her classroom; parents and former students often kept in touch with her over the years. She had a reputation for teaching with energy, 爱与兴奋, and encouraged many student teachers in her classroom.

Wentz passed away in Caldwell in May 2015 at age 66.

“Shirley had a smile that was contagious, and the most incredible blue eyes, which would sparkle whenever she spoke of her children, 家庭, 朋友和同学们,” her 家庭 wrote in her obituary. Wentz was married to Bill Wentz for 21 years and the couple had two children, 布莱恩和艾米, 还有七个孙子.

Wentz created a permanent legacy of her devotion to education with a $25,000 gift to the UI的基础 创造出雪莉A. Wentz Education Scholarship Endowment. Her legacy supports future elementary education teachers from Ada and Canyon counties in Idaho. Her wish was to help future educators so they too might enjoy the rewards she received from introducing young readers to the power of books and reading.

“这是非常合适的,500th endowed scholarship would come from 雪莉Wentz, lifelong educator and die-hard Vandal,阿里·卡尔-切尔曼说, dean of UI’s 教育学院. “We are so grateful for the help that Shirley’s endowed scholarship provides to our students in the 教育学院.”

Wentz’s pride in UI and love of the Vandals didn’t waver throughout her life, said her sister-in-law Susan Williamson. 就在她去世前不久, Wentz’s doctor asked her to say something to test her breathing, 威廉森说. In pain and barely able to speak, she looked at the doctor and said “Go Vandals!”

Endowments like the one left by Wentz are invested over the long term to support students, 教师, research and university programs, 费舍尔说. With $300 million in total assets, the UI的基础 is the largest of its kind in the state, and a top performer nationally in portfolio management for educational institutions.