For the Meyers family, giving back is a value that endures.
David and Beatrice Meyers have been quietly and consistently making an impact within the College of Education for over three decades. The Meyerses have made a donation to the college for 31 years without missing a year, currently making them the college’s longest-running annual donors. And they have been giving to Michigan State University in some form or another for even longer: 59 years.
David (’57, Business) and Beatrice (’52, Education) met in 1952 at the Chassell, Mich. Strawberry Festival. David had just returned home from serving in the South Pacific in World War II and Beatrice had recently graduated from Michigan State College and was teaching in the Tapiola School District. They married in 1953.
Although he could have relied on the G.I. Bill®, David chose to finance his own education and transferred from Michigan Tech to Michigan State University to pursue a degree in business. While David attended MSU, Beatrice taught in Holt Public Schools and worked toward her master’s degree in education. In 1957, the Meyerses proudly wore their graduation gowns together as they listened to then-Vice President Richard Nixon deliver the commencement speech.
A flurry of career moves followed, moving the couple from Michigan to Indiana, Montana and finally to Chicago, Ill., where they grew roots and raised their family. Beatrice ended her teaching career after 18 years of employment in the Woodridge School District in Illinois. David also eventually retired after proudly watching all three of their children graduate from MSU (Keith ’81, Business, Kirsten, ’85, Social Science and Kimberly, ’86, Agriculture). The Meyerses now divide their time between their summer home in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and their winter home in Florida.
When asked why they have chosen to remain such loyal supporters of the College of Education, David said it has always been their strong belief that, “You should give back to your school what it gave to you.” Their daughter Kimberly mentioned that even when finances were tight, her parents always managed to carve out their annual donation in support of the College of Education and other programs at MSU. For the Meyers family, giving back is a value that endures.
Annual giving dollars allow the College of Education to respond quickly to new opportunities and help to meet unexpected budget challenges. The college relies heavily on a strong foundation of annual support.
If you wish to begin your own tradition of giving to the College of Education, please visit us at http://www.education.msu.edu/development or call 517-432-1983.