"For our annual report, we featured David and Kelly Dunham, who had given a major gift to the College of Education on behalf of David’s late father Lee, who passed away in 2020. The Dunhams are a family of educators. Both David and his wife Kelly are teachers, along with Lee whose education career had a major influence on Wyoming schools and students. We wanted to honor Lee and tell a story about the far-reaching impact of education in a personal and more meaningful way.
This story has directly inspired additional giving to the College of Education and, in addition, sparked a close and personal relationship between the donors and writer. This story has also been featured in executive marketing presentations—educating and inspiring communication teams from other institutions outside the state."
From the Judges
This nomination had a wonderful story of generosity and giving. The judges were impressed with the writing and how the story served to highlight the donor and inspire others to leave their own legacy. The piece is lovely and poignant, with a great angle and heartfelt tone that showcased the importance of philanthropy in higher education. Overall, the nomination was a great example of how storytelling can help to foster a culture of giving and stewardship on college campuses.
