the late Vera Ellithorpe

Changing lives by: donating a family farm to establish a scholarship in architecture and design.

K-State connection: Vera Ellithorpe was the eleventh woman to receive a bachelor’s degree in architecture from K-State and the first woman to become a member of the American Institute of Architects in Kansas.

Why they gave: “The Ellithorpes were loyal K-Staters, and they determined their property would best benefit the university,” said Kent Sedlacek, KSU Foundation senior director of gift planning. “They established a charitable remainder unitrust, which allowed them to receive lifetime income and significant tax savings.”

How they did it: After a successful career, Vera, along with her brother, Glen Ellithorpe, decided to donate their family’s 1,200-acre farm in Gove County, Kan., to K-State. The gift resulted in the Vera M. Ellithorpe Scholarship, which encourages students to learn the value and benefits of healthful and adequate housing.

Impact: A leisure studies major at K-State, Daniel Shea thought he would go on to be a recreational supervisor or director. After graduating with a degree in leisure studies in 1997, Daniel decided to continue his education in graduate school, but switched academic interests. He had been interested in architecture and planning, and applied for the Vera M. Ellithorpe Scholarship in Architecture and Design. Daniel completed his master’s degree in regional and community planning thanks to the scholarship award.

What people are saying: “The Ellithorpe Scholarship totally changed my vision of what I wanted to do in my life,” he said. “It changed my knowledge and vision of the effects of housing. I thought as a student that I needed to step up in the field and really see how housing affects everyone. The scholarship pushed me to research the design background of housing and how it affects society in general.”