"No gift is unimportant"
Dick Nault has created an endowment for OWU student services.
Dick Nault knows only too well about the importance of giving back to his alma mater. This 1964 Ohio Wesleyan alumnus has devoted nearly four decades of his life to higher education—first to teaching, and then to a career in student services administration. His decision to create an endowment for OWU student services efforts reflects his passion for providing the best educational experiences possible for students, and an understanding of what that takes financially.
Majoring in elementary education at Ohio Wesleyan, Dick taught young children in Washington, D.C for a while, but then decided to pursue his Ph.D. in education, later becoming a faculty member at Washington University in St. Louis.
"I found, however, that I was especially interested in student life matters," says Dick, who then moved on to Miami University, first to head up the honors program, followed by his appointment to dean of students, and finally, to vice president of student affairs. He retired in 2009.
"College students come to us in the process of evolution," asserts Dick, noting the importance of pushing them out of their comfort zones and challenging them to think critically and problem solve, whether in the classroom or through travel and learning experiences in faraway locales. "We need to help students become equipped to be productive citizens in society." It's a lesson he learned long ago at Ohio Wesleyan.
Remembering several favorite OWU professors—Libby Reed, David Jennings, and Ruth Davies for starters—Dick cherishes their passion for ideas and learning. He stays connected to fellow alumni as they reminisce, and recently agreed to serve as a matching donor as part of the 2017 OWFund City Challenge. To encourage others to give back to Ohio Wesleyan, Dick and fellow Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity brother, Chris Musbach '05 and wife, Kerrie Churchill Musbach '06, served as co-matching donors for the city of Cincinnati, in an intergenerational partnership that boosted both funds raised and friendships made.
"It is important to give to Ohio Wesleyan," says Dick. "Money is tight, and even small gifts can help. No gift is unimportant."
For more information on ways you can support OWU with a planned gift, please contact the Office of Gift Planning at 740-368-3043 or giftplanning@owu.edu.