Leaving a Legacy Through Education

David Abram recognizes the importance of education and wants to leave a legacy through Ohio University. Growing up in southeast Ohio, David felt a connection to the university. His father, who did not go to college, stressed the importance of education. His aunt and uncle and his two brothers were Bobcats, so the university felt like home to him. He spent two years on the Lancaster campus and two years on the Athens campus, where he majored in Organizational Communication and played on the golf team. He stays connected to the university by serving as president of the Massachusetts Alumni Chapter.

Mr. Abram often thinks about the impact the university had on him and his family. Having worked in sales for the past fifteen years, he has used the skills he learned at Ohio University every day. As he has progressed in his career, Mr. Abram has become motivated to leave something behind. Since he and his wife have no children, the university presents an opportunity to establish a meaningful legacy for their estate. Mr. Abram and his wife wanted to provide disadvantaged students, who may not otherwise have the chance, a means to attend Ohio University, so they decided to contribute to the Appalachian Scholars Program and the Ohio Bobcat Club.

Given the fact that Mr. Abram was raised in southeast Ohio and most of his family is from the region, the Appalachian Scholars Program corresponded well to his life experience and his charitable goals. The Appalachian Scholars Program is a merit- and need-based scholarship program designed to provide academically talented but economically disadvantaged students with the financial resources and the support system they need to succeed in college. The program spoke to his connection to the region and the importance his father placed on higher education.

The Ohio Bobcat Club also appealed to Mr. Abram because of his experience and his desire to help gifted students receive an education. The Ohio Bobcat Club is the fundraising umbrella for Ohio Athletics and seeks to enhance the educational and athletic experience for student-athletes. An athletic scholarship can help talented but economically disadvantaged students attend college. Mr. Abram particularly appreciates the quality of academic talent among Ohio University student-athletes, which he knows first-hand. When he was on the golf team at Ohio, his academic success paid dividends on the green; his coach even told him he was on the team to help raise the team GPA. Unlike some other NCAA Division I schools, Ohio has always had a very high graduation rate. Mr. Abram takes pride in the fact that Bobcats are true student-athletes who are high achievers in the classroom and engaged in the community. Through the Ohio Bobcat Club, Mr. Abram wants to reward students who make a commitment to academic and athletic excellence at Ohio.

Inspired to create a legacy by providing disadvantaged yet talented youth earn an education, Mr. Abram has decided to support the Ohio University Foundation in his will. If, like Mr. Abram, you have a personal connection to a segment of students at Ohio University and you would like to support them in your will, please contact Kelli Bell, Executive Director of Gift Planning, at (740) 597-1819 or by email at [email protected].

You also may want to make it easy and convenient to have a bequest included in your will. The language below shows how a bequest can very easily be included in your will.

You might find it helpful to select the "print" button below and print this page. Feel free to give this page to your attorney. If he or she has any questions, please have him or her contact Kelli Kotowski, Executive Director of Development for Gift Planning, at (740) 597-1819, toll free at (800) 592-3863, or send an email to: [email protected].