Caring professors and coaches made a lasting impact on Wilda Stratton, ’72, and now she’s determined to pay it forward. 

Stratton and her husband Marcus Watt have set up a $2 million estate gift to the EOU Foundation that will benefit women in STEM fields and student-athletes. Adding this legacy to their will ensures a legacy of education and opportunity for rural students.

As a biology student and multi-sport athlete at EOU, Stratton built connections with peers and mentors across campus. These relationships kept her on track during a difficult time in her young adulthood

“I was very adrift because both my parents had passed away and I had to leave our home, but I kept coming back to EOU because I knew the professors,” Stratton said. 

State scholarships and a consistent flow of weekend and evening jobs allowed Stratton to stay in school and enter the medical field. She built a career overseeing blood banks and transfusion services for major hospitals. Traveling to inspect facilities, Stratton used her experience at EOU to make friends everywhere. 

“The big thing that stuck with me was the ability to get along with all kinds of people and appreciate their strengths,” she said. “In a team sport each person brings something different and you have to respect each other.”

Stratton and Watt are both volleyball players, and 15% of their gift will benefit EOU’s women’s volleyball team. The other 85% will provide scholarships for women in science, technology, engineering and math, fields like Stratton’s that have historically been dominated by men. 

The process of establishing an endowed estate gift was new to Watt and Stratton, and they found expert help in EOU Foundation staff.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect, but a couple of phone calls really solidified those particular desires I had in mind,” Stratton said. “Once we started the process, you could focus on it and keep making progress to get it right.” 

“If people are unsure, they should really just call and ask!,” Watt said. “Staff do this every day, and so often people don’t realize those resources are there. It can be intimidating to know who to call, but once you start there are resources to guide you. Hesitancy shouldn’t be a barrier.”

After graduating from Eastern Oregon College cum laude in 1969 the ��ݮ��Ƶ guitar and banjo instructor was hired in 1973 to teach music. Eastern Oregon State College would not change its name until 1997 when it became ��ݮ��Ƶ. At that time the state of Oregon required education majors to learn to play an instrument.

Sitting in a nondescript office in Loso Hall on the EOU campus, with pegboard for walls, Boyer is surrounded by sheets of music and guitar cases. An analog clock ticks away above his head. Hanging to the left is a proclamation ceremoniously presented to Boyer during an EOU Board of Trustees meeting in 2022, celebrating a man who has dedicated his life to teaching music.

Boyer said he didn’t think about his footprint for a long time.

“I guess at this point, looking back,” Boyer said, “ it feels like I’ve thrown a big rock out into the water and the waves have rippled out in all directions.”

Boyer smiles broadly and appears modest about his life’s work. When encouraged, he admits he has created a musical community he could not have fathomed after 4,000 EOU students.

“I do feel a sense of accomplishment, and it is becoming more apparent as I meet more and more people I had as students, who express they still enjoy music and still play,” Boyer said. “It makes me feel like I wasn’t just here spinning my wheels.”

The Power of Music

Boyer said former students will occasionally reach out to him. In fact, he tells a story about a student who contacted him using social media. The student asked, “Are you the Duane who taught guitar at EOU?”

The student, who took guitar lessons the first year Boyer taught, said he had always wanted to thank him.

“I’ve wanted to thank you for years and years; you’ve given me the motivation to keep going,” the former student told him.

Every term a new wave of students comes through the building and Boyer said they are what keeps him going. He knows some students will set the instrument in the closet after the term, but his hope is that some will continue.

“To watch someone who is learning to play, to see the light come on as they develop the ability to play, is a great feeling,” Boyer said. “I thrive on that.”

Boyer said when he first started teaching he had no idea where it was going to lead.

“I’m still here because I enjoy it. I enjoy working with the students and I’m two or three years past legitimate retirement age, to say the least,” Boyer jokes.

Boyer believes in the power of music, and is not shy about saying music can help students with other stresses. He encourages students to pick up an instrument, let go of the tension and worry. Put simply by a man with decades of experience, “It cleanses the palate.”

Generational Ripple

One of Boyer’s most successful students is EOU alumni Jesse Jones, ‘05. Jones earned his masters degree at the University of Oregon, taught at Eastern for a year, and went to Cornell for his doctorate. Today, Jones is an Associate Professor of Composition and Director, Division of Contemporary Music at Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio.

The former Mountaineer has played music around the world.

“The thing about Duane is he has been a constant in my life and that is rare,” Jones said. “He is incredibly generous with his time.”

Jones said Boyer got him interested in music while he was still in high school. Jones, who had broken his arm, asked Boyer to help him learn a few chords, after watching Boyer tutor a friend.

Jones called Boyer his biggest champion. The former student of Boyer’s said as he gets older he appreciates his former instructor for more than just music.

“Since I am teaching, a lot of him goes to the next generation, a sort of generational ripple,” Jones said.

King of Loso

Boyer jokes, “I thought maybe they would make me king or something if I stayed long enough.” “Looking back over 50 years, I want to be remembered for what kind of appreciation for music I developed in [the students]. In particular what it has meant to them, what it has meant to others, from teachers to performers.”

Sunshine radiates through the massive windows into the new Health & Human Performance (HHP) offices overlooking the Track & Field Complex.  In the past, sharing only one lab between classes, research, and testing, coupled with program faculty spread between offices across campus, the thought of a state-of-the-art lab and teaching facility wasn’t even a concept.  

But, a generous bequest changed everything.  “We have faculty in three different buildings across campus,” said Kyle Pfaffenbach, Associate Professor and Department of the Health & Human Performance Department, “now, we are doubling our labs for classes and research – plus the office synergy, collaboration, and camaraderie to be all together – this is such an opportunity.  Not just for our on-campus students, but the data and research our online students will now have access to is incredible.”

Dr. Jean Neely coached and taught physical education at Eastern Oregon College in La Grande for 30 years before retiring and moving to live with her twin sister, Janice.  Upon Jean’s passing in 2009, Janice directed a portion of both their estates be gifted to the EOU Foundation to support scholarships and programs in health and exercise. “The Neely sisters had such a passion for and serving their communities.  That’s what the Neely sisters were known for,” Pfaffenbach noted.  “The idea was to always be giving back and inspiring – when we read about them, they did so much.  Even posthumously, they’re still doing that.  They are helping our students learn and helping us carry on their legacy.”

Pfaffenbach described the research he and his department conducted on the Neely family, upon learning of this gift.  “We didn’t know them personally, but as we learned about the positive impact they had across their lifespan – and continue to make in our community with this gift, we felt such a tremendous sense of gratitude and this incredible connection to them.”

Resources from the Neely estate will be used to establish a significant student scholarship endowment, and to equip the EOU Health and Human Performance labs in the new Fieldhouse.  “We have added world-class motion capture technology and spaces for physiology testing.  The new space and equipment will provide students with valuable experiential learning.  It will also allow for continued collaborations with community partners, and the opportunity to expand the programs we can offer.  We are always trying to make positive impacts on the community and this gift provides the infrastructure for us to be able to offer this,” Pfaffenbach stated.  “It’s a game changer in so many ways; there’s no way to narrow down the impact.”

“My focus with Health and Human Performance gives me a space where I feel continuously stimulated and fascinated,” said Kendall Bonzani, a senior in the Health & Human Performance (HHP) program, with a concentration in Exercise Science and a goal of becoming a physical therapist.  “When I heard one of my classes would require two terms of dissection, I was extremely intimidated.  Each week, I was building confidence – with another layer of musculoskeletal identification, came another layer of confidence.  It’s this experience, real-world in a classroom, that will help me excel after EOU.  Similar to the challenges in the lab, I’ll be presented with challenges every day after graduation.  These might all feel daunting at the time; however, I have found the confidence to face these challenges head–on because of what I have learned and experienced at EOU.”

The tenacity Bonzani embodies and continues growing from her time at Eastern is reflective of the same passion and enthusiasm twin sisters, Jan and Jean Neely, who bequeathed not only a gift, but a lifelong legacy to EOU, health, wellness, and a culture of giving.  “The Neely Sisters are an inspiration,” said Pfaffenbach, “their story is so cool!  And, for two sisters to be that dedicated and trust EOU and the Foundation with this.  We have a responsibility to use this gift in a way to benefit people through the medium of health, wellness, and education.  We get to embody and live that every day as we steward this gift.”

In a cozy corner of the Library on EOU’s campus, longtime alumni Mary Jo Lemon, ’66, and her husband Terry Lemon, ’69, reminisced about their memories as adults, students, and children. 

“I remember my mother bringing my sister and me to her office and just playing in the halls of Inlow,” Mary Jo said smiling. “She worked for seven of EOU’s presidents throughout her career; I remember helping her fold letters and babysitting for all of the professors.”

Mary Jo, part of a five-generation Mountaineer legacy, and her husband Terry, also a Mountie, talked about the importance of EOU in shaping lives. “It was here I realized the importance of education in our lives. EOU molded me into the person I am today and I am eternally grateful for that,” Terry chimed. “I look back at my days at Eastern as an educational experience and character building. I was in the military for six months before starting college, which was a real growing up experience. But college was a maturing experience. I look back on it as one of the best times of my life.”

“Our time at Eastern was so much fun!” Mary Jo expressed. “I sang with the Blue & Gold Singers; Terry played music; there were dances in Hoke every Friday. Our classes were small and we knew our professors. Everybody knew everybody, and it was just such a fun time.”

For Mary Jo and Terry, Eastern is much more than fond memories. Their dedication to their alma mater goes beyond nostalgia and personal history. It’s rooted in the belief that education is a gateway to a better future. 

“Education can change lives. Scholarships can change even more,” Terry said. “We have the opportunity to help and support these students, and they’re so appreciative of the support. We know the students appreciate every scholarship they get. We need to do all we can do to help.”

Mary Jo and Terry have committed to giving back to EOU to reflect their desire to nurture the next generation of Mountaineers. “Terry and I decided we always want to give back to Eastern because it’s important as alumni. You think back about your time here, or maybe about your kids or grandkids coming here. There’s something that drew us here. It starts at Eastern and carries you wherever you go. The mentoring, the family you get here is so strong. Hopefully the students we are helping to support will also want to give back when they graduate and carry on the tradition.”

“It’s made us feel good watching the campus grow over the years. To be here watching the developments, knowing the affection we have for the campus feels good to be a part of the growth. It helps the quality of education for the students,” Terry said. “It makes our hearts swell. EOU was great when we were students. You think everything was wonderful at the time, and it was. Now, there is so much more. And we are able to be a part of that momentum.”

Today, the Lemons continue their tradition of supporting EOU, in a variety of forms, from service with the Alumni Board to ongoing gifts, to attending events on campus. “My mother served on the Foundation and I was part of the founders of the Alumni Board,” Mary Jo recalls of being involved. “Everyone had their heart in it, all of the alumni association. It’s been great to be involved, watching the campus and EOU community grow.”

“Oh, our blood runs blue and gold,” Mary Jo chuckled. “We do what we can to support the students and we always will.” 

Next time you’re at a football game, make sure to give a “Go Mounties” wave to Terry and Mary Jo.

Embarking on a journey with her classmates through the bustling heart of Portland, EOU student and Pendleton, Oregon native Addison Bonzani experienced the rush of city life for the first time. But getting here was not a simple process. Two powerful forces conspired to make her adventure possible: the Urban-Rural Ambassador Institute and the indomitable spirit of Scott Fairley.

The Urban-Rural Ambassador Institute is a collaborative effort between ��ݮ��Ƶ (EOU) and Portland State University (PSU), giving students from both schools residential field trips to learn about commonalities and differences between Oregon’s communities. The program aims to build a critical framework for understanding the nuances of the state’s urban-rural “divide.” Students from both universities participate in discussions with an array of elected officials and community leaders while building relationships among themselves and with people in different parts of the state.

“Portland State and Eastern Oregon students are co-enrolled in this class to learn about specific issues,” said Tim Seydel, Vice President for University Advancement, who helped launch the program with former EOU President Tom Insko. “There are actually a lot of similarities in the demographics of PSU and EOU students: working, nontraditional, first generation. This is an opportunity for them to collaborate, to effectively experience first-hand the similarities and differences both urban and rural areas share.”

Each year the institute delves into key topics, including transportation, housing, food production/scarcity, healthcare, natural resources, and more. This was Addison’s first exposure to a variety of issues and opportunities dealing with public transportation, both in Portland as well as in La Grande. 

“The class demonstrated how issues of urban and rural areas are similar, but manifest differently,” Bonzani reflected. “I had never been to Portland before this trip. And, while I don’t want rural areas to become urbanized, we can take lessons from larger areas to build solid infrastructure in our rural communities.”

“We started discussions about a program to help close the urban-rural divide in 2017 and welcomed the first cohort in 2018. We wanted to make it a model for programs in other areas to bridge similar gaps,” Seydel said. “Scott just loved the idea of connecting students from different parts of the state on a common topic.” 

Scott Fairley spent his career working to connect communities with resources through the Oregon Governor’s Office programs, including Regional Solutions and Business Oregon. “When the governor began organizing Regional Solutions divisions across the state, we were eager to be a part of the program. We provided office space on campus for their staff and that’s when I started working more closely with Scott,” Seydel recalled.

Fairley was raised in Pendleton, and dedicated himself to helping people and communities. According to friends and colleagues, he truly understood rural and urban issues and served the public across the state and in his hometown throughout his life. He unexpectedly passed away in December of 2020 at the age of 53, but his legacy continues. “He was such a kind, good person. He always found possibility instead of impossibility,” Seydel said.

“I knew Scott for a number of years before his passing,” Bonzani reminisced. “My sister and I worked in his home and occasionally walked his lovely dogs, Truman and Pearl!” Scott was described as a devoted family man who was heavily involved in his community and his hobbies. He graduated from Pendleton High School and the University of Oregon before beginning his career in public service. Scott worked for the Department of Transportation, and Department of Environmental Quality, served as an ombudsman in the Oregon Governor’s Office, and served on Pendleton’s City Council and Planning and Airport Commission.

Upon his passing, a colleague of Scott’s established a memorial scholarship at EOU to honor their urban-rural collaborations and their friendship. “We are honoring Scott’s legacy in eastern Oregon,” Nate Lowe, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, shared. “The responses we hear from students who take the course is that it far exceeds their expectations and that it has led them to better appreciate the nuances and complexities of diverse communities in the state. This scholarship supports more students building bridges of understanding.”

“I know the good he did in his life, so I shouldn’t have been surprised to receive this scholarship,” Bonzani shared. “He would have been so happy to create this opportunity for students like me. I’m grateful that even years later, Scott is instrumental in teaching me valuable life lessons.”

Part of something bigger

A new business in his old hometown inspired James Gorham, ’95, to get involved in the EOU Foundation. Now, more than 10 years later, the business is thriving and Gorham is a member of the EOU Foundation Board of Directors.

After graduation, he earned his master’s in physical therapy and opened his own clinic in Sherwood, Oregon. When he moved back to La Grande in 2007 to be near family, Gorham quickly got involved in the community that raised him.

“I felt like I needed to give back to the place that had made me who I am,” he said. “It was a difficult time at the university and I wanted to be a part of helping turn things around.”

As one of the owners of Mountain Valley Therapy, Gorham has played a role in strengthening the relationship between local businesses and EOU. He volunteers on the EOU Foundation Scholarship Review Committee, reading hundreds of essays and applications each February. Gorham said he received a Foundation scholarship as a student, when he said tuition cost about $300 a term. Now that his son is an EOU student, that number is closer to $2,500.

“The need for scholarships has risen dramatically,” Gorham said. “There’s a direct correlation between scholarships available and the number of students who can attend college.”

Gorham and his wife Tracey support the Health and Human Performance program, since he studied exercise science and works in the industry. Regardless of their major, though, Gorham said he’s eager to show every student how they can be successful at EOU. They give to the Building Champions campaign, in addition to scholarships.

“For me, it’s about giving back and knowing that what you’re giving goes directly to students who may not otherwise be able to go to college,” Gorham said. “Life gets busy and we don’t stop to think about it, but if it hadn’t been for Eastern I wouldn’t have what I do today.”

Gorham said his family has lived in the Grande Ronde Valley since the 1870s, and those deep roots keep him committed to improving access and opportunity for students in the region. Alongside his fellow Foundation Trustees, Gorham said he’s inspired by the sense of working toward a common goal.

“I really enjoy the teamwork and bringing people together from so many different walks of life for the goal of making EOU better,” he said. “Giving of time, giving of ideas — that’s altruism, being part of something bigger to make something better.”

EOU Foundation funds keep students enrolled through life’s challenges

Last year alone, 27 students benefited from EOU Foundation Crisis Awards. The funds support online and on-campus students who find themselves in difficult situations, where medical expenses, car trouble or childcare costs could threaten their progress toward earning a degree. These private funds close the gap to keep students on track, and, alongside other student services, support them on the way to timely graduation.

Higher education was never part of Megan Brown’s plan for her life. Her parents hadn’t gone to college, and she’d followed them into the working world right after high school. But after seven years of working double-shifts as a waitress to support her young son, Brown decided to make a change.

“I got fed up and quit one day,” she said.

Brown did odd jobs and worked harvest for a year, but after being turned down for more professional positions because she didn’t have a degree, she enrolled at ��ݮ��Ƶ.

Now in her senior year, Brown is determined to complete her business degree a year early and graduate in June 2020. She hopes a minor in communication and concentrations in marketing and management will equip her to promote athletics teams or work in a sports information office.

A little over a year ago, Brown’s dream was almost derailed. She was three terms into her education as a first-generation student, working two jobs and attending classes full-time.

“Things got really tight,” she said. “My son has health issues, including asthma and allergies, and I’d been trying to make every penny stretch. I have a lot of pride. I’ve worked since I was 15, I moved out on my own at 17. It’s really hard for me to ask for help.”

Brown talked to Scholarship Coordinator Danny Bailey, who told her about Crisis Awards from the EOU Foundation.

“I wrote my letter, and I didn’t expect anything,” she said, but hardship funds opened her eyes to the generosity of the EOU community. “It showed me that people are out there to help, and they recognize that things happen. It’s really nice to know that there are people who want to help. I would love to thank that donor, to say how much it helped my family.”

At 33, Brown is a non-traditional on-campus student, and she hopes to bridge the gap for single parents and older students who need some inspiration. She’s getting her career jump-started as sports information director’s intern this year at EOU.

“I never saw myself going to college, especially in my 30s,” she said. “Getting the Crisis Award has kept me on track, and I hope that one day I can be in a financial situation where I could help someone like me.”

More than 2,000 miles separated Tanisha Willis from her family in Fort Benning, Georgia when she moved to La Grande in 2017.

She’d spent about two years in Texas, working and taking classes full-time. Eventually the strain of 80-hour weeks became too much and her mental health suffered. After a brief return home, Willis followed her partner to ��ݮ��Ƶ and enrolled as a junior, bringing credits from four prior institutions.

After stints in the medical field and other careers, Willis found inspiration in EOU’s art facilities and embraced her passion for creating.

“I’ve always loved art, but my family didn’t want me to become a ‘starving artist,’” she said. “Art 101 was a turning point for me. It got me thinking about art in a different way and really opened my eyes to contemporary art.”

For a class project, she made a cardboard box with an infinity mirror in it to communicate big ideas about modern issues.

“It was the most ambitious thing I’d attempted and I was really impressed with what I was able to create,” Willis said.

Meanwhile, though, her relationship and mental health were deteriorating. Willis reached out to Mike Williams in the TRIO Student Support Services office, and he connected her with emergency housing in the residence halls, as well as counseling services.

Williams also referred her to Financial Aid staff to learn more about her eligibility for a Crisis Award. When the relationship broke down and Willis lost her housing, she also lost some of her belongings.

“I had one blanket and a pillow when I moved to the residence hall,” she said. “I used the Crisis Award for a comforter, groceries, towels and soap. It made me feel good that there was someone I could go to for help getting those items that make you feel human.”

As president of the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center and Vice President of Art Club, Willis said she tries to do her part to create inclusive, welcoming communities on campus.

“As a student of color, it’s hard to accept that if you want to affect change you have to be brave enough to participate, to put your foot in and go to those places you feel out of place,” she said. “But nothing would’ve changed if I had just stayed home all the time.”

She’s set her focus on print media and plans to graduate in March 2020. Coming from metropolitan areas in the opposite corner of the country, Willis said she’s become more open to rural communities during her time at EOU.

“The world we live in is a harsh one, I don’t think we should make it worse,” she said. “It’s important to be kind and help one another.”

Learn more about how you can support students at eou.edu/foundation today!

The late Ted and Mary Brown bequeathed a bevy of interests to their three children. Ted, who taught at EOU, studied for a master’s in entomology and followed his passion from teaching Spanish, to anthropology, to education courses, and leading outdoor recreation groups.

Mary worked on campus as an advisor to foreign exchange students, and their children, Cathy, Alexander and Ann, inherited their parents’ passions.

“We got to participate so much in our parents’ lives,” Ann said. “Most folks stick the kids in the basement with a pizza, but we were involved in all of the things our parents were doing.”

All three siblings attended EOU and when Ted died in 2017, a former faculty member reached out to Ann, youngest of the three, about setting up a scholarship in honor of her parents.

Ann, ’80, earned a degree in chemistry before embarking on a 30-year veterinary career. At age 11, she tagged along as “unofficial mascot” of the student exchange program her father started in Michuacan, Mexico.

Ted also initiated a program that placed student-teachers in migrant camps, where they practiced bilingual education. Alexander carries on this passion as an advocate for DACA students.

Cathy, meanwhile, picked up her parents’ penchant for teaching and the arts. Ann said her father enjoyed helping young teachers brave their first day in the classroom.

“He probably nudged them in the door with a, ‘You can do it!’” Ann said. “He would come home and say, “They’ve got a spark in them.’”

The siblings created a scholarship in honor of their parents through the EOU Foundation. In determining what type of students would be eligible, they focused on their folks’ many passions and split along somewhat predictable lines.

“My sister wanted to award a music student and my brother wanted them to be bilingual,” Ann said. “Tom Bradbear, who worked with my dad, helped us decide to award a master’s student in any subject.”

The Ted and Mary Brown Scholarship Fund will be awarded for the first time in fall [2019] to local students in the Master’s of Art in Teaching program with financial need.

“I got a scholarship when I was entering college from Maybel Doty,” Ann said. “I never met her, but it was so encouraging. Our hope is that this scholarship helps and inspires somebody.”

A numbers game

A love for baseball and talent for athletics in general guided Denver Ginsey from student body president at La Grande High School to Eastern Oregon College in 1946, and his aptitude for math and science kept him in the game long after graduation.

Denver, ’48, and his wife Jean, and her two younger brothers, grew up in the Grande Ronde Valley. Denver’s brother in law and sister in law, Jim and Char Evans, still live in La Grande. Denver played baseball, basketball and football in high school, then collegiate baseball and basketball under coach Bob Quinn after serving in the U.S. Navy.

But science professor Ralph Badgley had the most lasting impact on him. As a student, Denver passed the Badgley’s house every day after class and when he stopped to ask about his coursework Professor Badgley always had time for his pupil.

Denver graduated from EOU and transferred to the University of Washington alongside four of his classmates. The cohort often took classes together, and when grades were posted they consistently finished in the top five. Denver said his and his classmates’ success was the result of Badgley’s diligent work during their studies in La Grande.

Originally planning to study electrical engineering, Denver switched his major and instead became the first person to graduate from UW’s business program with a BA in mathematics.

Armed with his degree, he went to work for Wendell Milliman Consulting Actuary, then New York Life Insurance Co., and finally the oldest insurance brokerage firm in the world and the largest that was privately owned — Johnson and Higgins. Denver became president of the firm’s Washington State Corp., and a senior partner of the international organization.

Now 93, Denver has shifted his focus to the final innings of his career. After decades of faithfully supporting EOU students, he has established an endowed scholarship that will continue his family’s legacy in perpetuity. At $1 million, the Jean and Denver Ginsey Scholarship is the largest gift to the EOU Foundation by a living donor in the university’s history. The endowment will supply scholarships for several students in business or STEM programs every year.

Denver has also served on the board and on the senior council of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. His work with Boeing earned him an honorary law degree from the law firm Perkins Coie. He and Jean, who passed away in September 2011, have three children and six grandchildren.

One good teacher can make the difference between loving math or hating it. But for Herb and Linda Jolliff, ’66, a calculus professor at EOU taught them even more.

The two met in Leroy Damewood’s class in 1963 and graduated together three years later.

“We met and got to know one another studying calculus and differential equations,” Herb said.

Linda went on to teach in public schools, and Herb taught at the Oregon Institute of Technology after graduating with a master’s degree from Utah State University. They agreed, though, that Damewood’s example set them on their paths to success.

“It was a period of growing up for me,” Herb said. “He was an excellent teacher. The class was very tough, but you learned a lot.”

Linda, the only woman in Damewood’s class at the time, said she appreciated his no-nonsense “say what you mean, and mean what you say” approach. Linda and Herb’s shared passion for teaching in rural areas has only grown in 53 years of marriage. Where they live now, in Independence, Ore., Linda said a handful of colleges are within an hour’s drive.

“But in Eastern Oregon, EOU serves a real purpose,” she said.

Herb remembers living on a wheat ranch 23 miles from Arlington, Ore., and how that remoteness made his education challenging. During his senior year of high school, there weren’t enough fellow students to offer a math class at his level.

Today, EOU fills that gap for rural students throughout the region. And the Jolliffs are already thinking about the next generation of math enthusiasts. As Oregon’s Rural University, EOU produces many of the educators that fill public schools in small towns. Herb and Linda established a scholarship this year, through the EOU Foundation, that will support those young teachers on their way to molding the minds of tomorrow.

“We both love math, and they always need good math teachers in rural areas,” Herb said. “It takes a special person … The best teachers have got to be tough, but they’ve got to be compassionate.”

They see the endowment as an investment in the future of rural communities. Linda said scholarships made college possible for her, and she’s eager to “pay it forward” to others.

“We’ve lived in small places all of our married life, so that’s just our outlook,” Herb said. “That’s why we want to support someone from Eastern Oregon, who would give back to those smaller communities.”