February 2006 Stories

Birl Orion Shultz Memorial Scholarship: "It's All Good"

Parents focus on community via creating a scholarship to honor their son’s positive outlook.

The Willamette community was shaken last summer when 20-year-old Birl Orion Shultz died unexpectedly on a plane home from visiting friends in Finland. Almost immediately, his parents, Peter and Marilyn Shultz of Carlton, Ore., contacted the University about creating a scholarship in their son’s memory. “It took us only a day or two to decide that’s what we wanted to do,” Peter Shultz says.

Described by family and friends as a Renaissance man with a zest for life, Birl was enthusiastic about good cuisine, farming, video, photography, computers and politics. He was student body president at Yamhill-Carlton High School (YCHS), where he campaigned for better food and was known for his positive attitude. His trademark saying, “It’s all good!” is emblazoned over the cafeteria doors at YCHS, joining quotations from Shakespeare, Martin Luther King Jr., Ronald Reagan and others painted throughout the school. “Birl didn’t hold back at all,” his father says. “He was always very positive and could find something good in every situation.”

Birl carried that enthusiasm to Willamette, where he dove into student government, was elected class senator, and served as a member of the finance board of the Associated Students of Willamette University (ASWU). With his passion for cuisine, Birl was a natural fit as chair of the ASWU food committee and representative to Bon Appetit, the campus catering service. He didn’t just talk about change, he worked for it by becoming a Bon Appetit employee and instituting “stir fry nights” at Goudy Commons. He had a growing interest in how food was traded and transported around the world, and pushed for using products from local growers and suppliers.

Birl chose to attend Willamette in large part, his father says, because of the positive, close community he found here, a community much like the one he enjoyed at Yamhill-Carlton High School. Birl stayed in touch with his community, often bringing his Willamette friends home to meet his high school friends. The connections Birl built continue to grow, Peter Shultz says, as “friends from WU still come to visit Birl’s friends from high school, and we often see how everyone has stayed close and in touch.”

Those connections and the similarity in culture between Yamhill-Carlton High School and Willamette University figure prominently in the Birl Orion Shultz Memorial Scholarship, established by Peter and Marilyn and increased by donations from more than 220 individuals. Plans call for the scholarship to be awarded for the first time this fall, to a student from YCHS or the Yamhill-Carlton School District. It will be given to one student every four years, in perpetuity. Preference will be given to students “with a demonstrated commitment to community involvement, regardless of athletic ability or traditional measures of academic performance,” and the University will solicit feedback from the Yamhill-Carlton community regarding applicants’ service activities and involvement. Ultimately, the scholarship recipient will personify the University’s motto, “Not unto ourselves alone are we born,” as exemplified by Birl himself.

At a memorial service for Birl last summer, dozens of members of the Willamette community joined the entire Carlton community in paying their respects to the vibrant young man and his family. Attendees included students, administrators, campus Chaplain Charlie Wallace, former Senator Mark O. Hatfield ’43 and President Lee Pelton. “We were amazed at the memorial how many students came, and even the president,” Shultz says. “With that kind of leadership, it’s clear that a close community is a priority for Willamette.”

The Shultzes recently hosted a group of YCHS students at their home to help them learn more about Willamette and encourage applications for the scholarship. “Birl wanted to do good with his life, and that won’t end with his death,” Peter Shultz says. “We want to tap into his positive attitude and help make the same opportunities available for someone else.”

Ken Oliver's Secrets of Long Life

Ken Oliver ’34 celebrates his 94th birthday this month. He attributes his long and happy life to several factors, including his 64-year marriage to his first wife, Madaline (Schmidt) Oliver ’34, and his active mind. It was at Willamette that Ken and Madaline met as students, and where Ken earned the bachelor’s degree that would lead him to graduate school and a satisfying career as a college professor. He recently published his autobiography, The Times of My Life, Wonderful Times.

A few years ago, Ken discovered a proven method of adding years to his life, a method that also involves the University. In 2002 he invested in his first of three Willamette gift annuities. What do annuities have to do with longevity? Actuarial data (reported in Charitable Gift Annuities, Frank Minton, 2004) show that, on average, people who create charitable gift annuities live 18 months longer than people who don’t. Other data indicate that Willamette gift annuities may outperform gift annuities in general. Of the 51 gift annuities the University has issued since the turn of the century, all but one remain in force today.

Ken went on to earn his master’s degree at the University of Washington and his PhD from the University of Wisconsin, and he enjoyed a long and successful career as a professor of comparative literature and English at Occidental College. While he admits he is not well-versed in actuarial science, Ken will attest to the many other benefits of gift annuities. “I still can’t believe that Willamette pays me a guaranteed 11.3 percent annual return on my contributions for as long as I live,” he says. “Afterward, the University will use those contributions to create a perpetual scholarship fund in memory of my second wife, Mae. This is immensely satisfying to me.” Ken previously established a scholarship fund at Occidental in memory of his first wife, Madaline.

True, a charitable gift annuity cannot guarantee you a longer life, but it will guarantee you a better life. A gift annuity provides an outstanding rate of return, guaranteed income for the duration of your life and the life of your spouse, substantial tax savings, and a lasting legacy at Willamette.

Law Campaign Hits 63 Percent

The College of Law Endowment Campaign has received gifts totaling $9.583 million, 63 percent of the $15 million goal.

Many gifts have been designated for the Clinical Law Program, (CLP) which includes the Civil Practice Clinic. Since 1991 the CLP has offered valuable legal assistance to individuals and organizations in need while giving law students the opportunity to apply classroom theory to real-life situations under the direction of full-time clinical supervising attorneys.

Last year an anonymous donor gave $1 million to endow the CLP and pledged an additional $1 million to match other donations to the program. A $100,000 gift from Mike JD’68 and Marcia Rodgers will count toward that match, as will a $50,000 gift from trustee Ralph ’53, JD’55 and Sally Bolliger. The Bolligers have already given nearly $35,000 to the program and $50,000 to the Class of ’53 gift fund. A donation of more than $21,000 from Cherida Collins Smith ’72 brings her total giving to the clinic to more than $48,000.

A $700,000 donation from the Collins Foundation and a $600,000 gift from the Meyer Memorial Trust will aid in the renovation of the Carnegie Building, once the Salem Public Library, on the corner of State and Winter streets. The building will be home to the Oregon Civic Justice Center, which will house the Clinical Law Program, the Center for Law and Government, the Oregon Law Commission and the Willamette Law Review, as well as the law school admission office. Approximately $3 million is needed to fully renovate the building.

Other noteworthy gifts to the law school campaign include a $10,000 gift from Lorenzo JD’77 and Jovita Williams for the Law Annual Fund. A $275,000 donation from Parker JD’01 and Colleen Lee will fund a series of projects. The Loan Repayment Assistance Program will receive $125,000 to help graduates pursue careers in public interest law.

The Carlton J. Snow Memorial Scholarship fund will receive $100,000, and $25,000 will fund a new Law and Business Speakers Symposium. An additional $25,000 from the Lees will benefit the College of Liberal Arts. This gift from the Lees is one of the largest from a young alumnus in the law school’s history.

Remembering…Chuck Bowles

A memorial service for former Willamette track coach Chuck Bowles will be held Sunday, March 5, in the Cone Field House at 10 a.m. Bowles passed away in December at age 82.

Bowles coached at Willamette from 1966–90 and won 11 Northwest Conference championships in men’s track, including nine between 1978–87. He won seven consecutive cross country conference championships and nine district championships from 1976–86. From 1979–90 he also coached the women’s team.

Bowles’ athletes set 25 records during his tenure, of which 12 are still standing. Of the 24 men’s school records, 14 were set during the Bowles era.

When Bowles was a student at the University of Portland, he climbed Mount Hood and met Barbara Pitts, a Willamette undergraduate, at the summit. They married in 1943, and she became a partner in all he accomplished. Barbara and their daughter and son live in Salem.

Reunion Classes

While alumni come back to campus to enjoy the many festivities of reunion weekend, one of the highlights is the 50th class reunion dinner and the presentation of the class gift to the University.

Celebrating their 50th reunion last year, the Class of ’55 presented Willamette with a gift of more than $171,000 to endow the Class of 1955 Scholarship, setting a University record for reunion class giving. The Class of ’56 is already poised to beat that record — as are succeeding 50th reunion classes.

Classes start planning for their 50th reunion gift as far as 10 years in advance, each deciding how to designate their gift. The Classes of ’54 and ’55 both created an endowed class scholarship. The Class of ’56 is doing the same, as well as endowing the existing Dean and Judy (Mortz) Benson Scholarship created in memory of these two classmates. A total of $50,000 is needed to endow a scholarship. As part of their gift, the Class of ’56 will also include a series of four paintings by Marjory Horton ’56 depicting the traditions of glee, serenading and homecoming, as well as the original Cat Cavern housed in Waller Hall.

Class of ’56 reunion giving co-chair Chuck Peter says fond memories fuel alumni enthusiasm for making a class gift.

“We had such a great time 50 years ago, it’s only right to give something back to provide the same opportunities and experience to modern-day students,” he says. “We believe we had a positive impact on the University when we were students, and we want to continue that legacy with alumni activities that also reflect in a positive way.”

The Classes of 1957 and 1958 have yet to determine what their class gifts will be, and the Class of 1959 is working on a $1 million match to endow a chair in the College of Liberal Arts.

Gifts designated for the reunion class gift aren’t the only ones that count toward overall class giving. Also included are any donations to named scholarships, chairs and capital projects, and gifts to the Willamette Fund and Bearcat Fund. For more information on reunion class giving, contact Rocky Johnson ’70 at 503-370-6726 or rjohnson@willamette.edu.

Turning Lights On: The Willamette Fund

A student sits in a classroom, takes part in the discussion, and suddenly the light goes on and the concept becomes clear. A professor walks into a classroom, flips a switch, and the lights go on as she prepares for class. Your gift to the Willamette Fund works in a hundred different ways, from turning on the classroom lights to funding the scholarship that allows a student to have a life-changing “light bulb” moment.

The lights will go out on this fiscal year May 31, and the drive for annual giving is quickly coming to a close. The Office of Annual Giving offers our sincere thanks to those of you who have already participated. Your support makes the dream of a Willamette education a reality for many of our undergraduate and graduate students.

If you have yet to make a gift, please know that every gift, no matter the amount, makes a difference. Even modest contributions add up for a significant impact. You can make a gift directly through our secure online site at www.willamette.edu/support or by calling toll free at 1-866-444-2239.