Doug and Cindy Smith

Changing lives by: Establishing the Douglas G. and Cynthia S. Smith Civil Engineering Faculty Fellowship during K-State’s Changing Lives Campaign with a combined gift of cash and life insurance.

K-State connection: Doug, who grew up in western Kansas, and his wife, Cindy, a “townie,” a common name for K-State students from Manhattan, Kan., believe that their K-State professors made a huge impact on their educations and careers.

“As I look back, the most influential part of K-State were the faculty members,” Doug said. “I was in a formative stage — a neophyte in a greater world — and they were there to give insight and direction.”

Why they gave: “We wanted to return what K-State has given to us,” Cindy said. “We asked ourselves, ‘What's the right thing to do?’ We believe that faculty members are what make a difference in the College of Engineering, and when we can invest in and bring in bright faculty members, our investment multiplies — one faculty member reaches hundreds and hundreds of students.”

Why it matters: By funding a faculty fellowship, the Smiths are helping to attract brilliant professors who will reach hundreds of K-State students in the College of Engineering.

“At the stage we are in of our lives, we are beginning to look at the next generation,” Cindy said. “We're the oldest patriarchs in our family and want to invest in what is coming behind us. We want to make a difference for our grandchildren's generation; we have a vision to make this a better place in which we live.”