A ripple story: The Wepners' unrestricted gift

First, a little history...

As a member of the Committee for Higher Education in Central Illinois, Wilbur Wepner (at right) helped found UIS (then called Sangamon State University) in 1969.

His wife, Margaret, fully supported her husband's efforts, and before her own death in 2005, Mrs. Wepner cast the couple's final vote of confidence in UIS' future by leaving an "unrestricted" estate gift to the university.

How was this gift spent?

After careful consideration, part of the Wepners' gift was used to create the Wepner Distinguished Professorship in Political Science, bringing a scholar to UIS who will emphasize the legacy and politics of Abraham Lincoln.

The rest of this generous gift was used to fund scholarships for incoming freshmen and to create an endowed Faculty Excellence Award.

We believe the Wepners would be pleased with the way their gift is still rippling out, making such a big difference in so many people's lives.

That's the power of unrestricted giving...

If you have a question about unrestricted gifts, please feel free to contact us using the link at left, by phone at 217.206.6058, or by email at giftinfo@uis.edu.

And if you have given unrestricted gifts to UIS colleges, departments, or programs, thank you. Your support is crucial to the everyday operation of UIS.