Jean and Nolan McKenziE

Making a difference by: setting up a charitable remainder unitrust and matching each other’s gifts to establish the Nolan G. and Jean M. McKenzie Excellence Funds in the Colleges of Agriculture and Human Ecology, a graduate student fellowship in the College of Agriculture, a teaching and research fund in Human Ecology and an athletic scholarship.

K-State connection: Jean Greenough McKenzie earned a bachelor’s degree in dietetics and institutional management at Kansas State College in 1949. Nolan McKenzie earned his bachelor’s in 1941 and his master’s in 1947 degrees in agriculture economics at K-State.

Reunited: “We both grew up in the little town of Solomon, Kan. We graduated from the same high school, we both graduated from K-State — then here we were, both living in the same neighborhood after all these many years,” Jean said. “That’s how we got together again.” The couple celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in 2004.

Why they gave: “I think there are a lot of people who could give, but haven’t thought about it,” Jean said. “If we can take care of things while we’re here, and enjoy it, why not do it? K-State has always meant a lot to us. Hopefully, our gifts will help keep good faculty, and assist in the fellowship and graduate student areas. We both have interest in the scholarship area, but we also want to benefit students when they’re deeper into their programs of study. We hope it means as much to the recipients as it has meant to us. We really think K-State put us on the right path.”

Why a CRUT: “By setting up this charitable remainder unitrust, we increased our income and greatly reduced our income taxes,” Nolan said. “It’s enabled us to travel and enjoy life more, and Kansas State is going to come out the winner instead of the IRS.”