Why I Give to AU

Shaping the future of our communities

At Aurora University and George Williams College, we are committed to helping students reach their potential and discover what it takes to build meaningful, examined lives. Contributions from donors and alumni directly impact our work with students and the communities they will serve as they make their way in the world. We are grateful for every gift. Here are just a few examples of the many ways the generous supporters of AU and GWC are making a difference.

Herman Jimerson ’79 GWC
Home: St. Louis

There have always been angels watching over me. That’s how I got to GWC almost 45 years ago. As a youth, I was considered “at risk.” A group of young Jesuit priests started a tutoring program in which I was involved. They took me and others to a college fair, and that’s where I learned about GWC. During that fair, the representatives from GWC recruited me, and the baseball coach invited me to join the team.

Now, as I think back to GWC and the people I met there, I am filled with gratitude and the love that was embodied throughout the GWC experience. The college was not simply bricks and mortar; faculty wanted us to learn the joys of life while serving others.

By supporting scholarships for GWC students, I want to continue paying it forward. I gave to the Ingalls Building Chapel restoration project because the need to love is greater than ever. Today’s students need and deserve our support and love in whatever way we can give.

There was never one day I spent at GWC that I regretted. My experience, because of faculty and students, was instrumental in determining who I wanted to be.

Before I opened my own law practice, I worked in the Missouri State Public Defender office, litigating death penalty cases for the State of Missouri. I now practice general law with an emphasis on corporate and small-business law.

What I learned at GWC and as a professional inspires my philanthropy: Giving is a gift that always returns. I think back to the Jesuits; if they had not given of their time to tutor and guide me, I would not be who I am today.

Catha Loomis ’71 GWC
Home: Portland, Oregon

I arrived at GWC as a pretty naive California girl who just wanted to “work for the YMCA.” For the first time in my life, I was living far from my suburban Los Angeles home, on the multiracial, multicultural, multinational George Williams College campus when it was located in Downers Grove, itself surrounded by largely white, middle-class Chicago suburbs.

The Vietnam War was raging, along with antiwar sentiment. Young African Americans had elevated the Civil Rights Movement with a call for Black power. The campus was a crucible that reflected the many tensions, challenges, and struggles of the times. I was often bewildered and frightened. But I was also discovering a community in which dialogue and conflict resolution were encouraged.

I got a fine education in the classroom and developed knowledge and skills that served me well in a successful career. But it was the “human” education that most influenced my life. Looking back through the lens of present-day issues, particularly Black Lives Matter, I realize that my time at GWC laid a foundation on which I have grown as a person and a social advocate.

The two greatest influences on my life and work were the YMCA and George Williams College. I believe in giving back and paying it forward. By contributing to GWC today, whether to its nursing program, to student scholarships, or to the annual fund, I am saying thank you for my education and helping another student. My strongest hope is that today’s GWC students will experience, appreciate, and embrace the history and traditions of the college.

Mary A. Miller, Dean Emeritus, School of Nursing
Home: Brighton, Colorado

As a lifelong nurse-educator, I have a deep appreciation for AU’s commitment to its mission and students. There is a genuine concern for each student. My experience at AU was the capstone of my career in nursing. When I was dean of the School of Nursing from 1996 to 2001, I worked with dedicated faculty who were collaborative and committed to making sure AU nursing students would excel in the workplace.

My decision to financially support AU is because both my mother and uncle shared their meager resources with me, which is now beyond what I need for self-support. I want to honor them by remembering their names with the Miller Green Family Endowed Scholarship.

AU attracts nursing students who want to help others and who want to have an impact. The students are motivated and eager. Being able to provide scholarship support for these students is a privilege. I believe in the power of education to change lives, and I believe AU delivers that education.

W.C. “Bill” Nickerson ’60
Home: Dowling Park, Florida

With the encouragement of one of my best friends, who graduated from Aurora College in 1958, I decided to enroll there. I traveled from my home in the Boston area to start college at what is now Aurora University. As a student, I felt privileged to attend several classes taught by Dr. Moses Crouse. I also discovered “me” and the larger world beyond me. I was able to envision broader horizons and understand the potential that awaited my attention and exploration.

Following graduation, I spent a year working for Aurora College in recruitment and public relations, earning $30 a week and traveling the Midwest and Southeast. I also worked for two years at the Advent Christian Village in Florida, then returned to Aurora College to work there for another five years.

It was in 1968 that I joined ServiceMaster. I worked from the home office for two years, again traveling the southeastern part of the country, before purchasing a ServiceMaster distributorship and moving back East, to Maine, where I ran the business for 25 years.

My Aurora education enabled me to experience and envision broader horizons, understand the greater world, and discover my potential. In supporting AU, I wish to share the dividends of my life to help today’s students develop their personal goals and enjoy an expanding and rewarding life while maximizing their potential.

Guadalupe Reyes ’70
Home: Kirkland, Washington

As the first person in my family at the time to graduate from both high school and college, I am aware of how transformative education can be. My parents taught me and my six siblings the value of hard work and tenacity. We were grateful for the assistance others provided us when times were tough.

Throughout high school (East Aurora) and college, I benefited from the support of two local business leaders, who provided me with part-time jobs. I also benefited from a local scholarship when I enrolled at AU.

In college, I grew tremendously. The exposure to a diverse range of ethnic and religious cultures allowed me to understand and explore the broader world. While I majored in mathematics, I developed several interests at AU, including the arts, history, and travel. My academic experience made me realize that getting a solid education could lift one out of poverty.

At AU, I also learned the value of community involvement. During my career, and continuing into my retirement, I have served as a member of almost 20 organizations, working to make a difference for others.

My wife, Connie, and I firmly believe in giving back to our community and to those organizations that made a difference for us. We established the Reyes Smith Endowed Scholarship to provide students with the financial assistance needed to attend AU.

In doing so, we hope that students today will understand the importance of philanthropy, of community, and of excellence. These are values we cherish, and we know that AU does too.