Linda McDonald is not only a proud alumna, receiving both her Master’s degree and Ph.D. at Kent State University, she’s a passionate supporter of the College of the Arts. Linda’s late husband, Pete, who was an architect, and Linda always felt that the arts enhance the quality of life for people – that they make a difference in our culture.
“We both felt very strongly that we wanted to focus on the arts,” says Linda. “With so much federal cutting and recent budgets with the state, the arts are always a very tentatively funded area. We felt it was important to be able to continue to support the arts.”
As an undergrad in college, Linda had scholarships, work grants, jobs and loans.
“So I know how important it is to be able to have those resources available,” she says. “I wanted to make sure others would have the same advantages of those outside resources too.”
Over many years, Linda and Pete funded two scholarships in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design and three different areas in the College of the Arts.
“It’s important to both give now and leave a gift after we’re gone – a legacy of some sort,” Linda stresses. “It doesn’t have to be a lot, but if everybody gave something it would make a big difference to the university and the students.”
Deciding what and how to give was a process for Linda and her husband.
“We worked with a number of people at the university to determine what the best way of doing it would be,” she says. “Some in scholarships, some in other things, but a variety of areas. I always said that if I ever had anything to give back that I wanted to be able to do that. It was very important to us.”
Watch as Linda describes in her own words what giving means to her.
If you’d like to support a program or scholarship at Kent State now, and with a provision in your will, contact the Center for Gift and Estate Planning at 330-672-1000, or email us at giftplan@kent.edu.