ADVANCEMENT SPOTLIGHT
EVERYBODY KNOWS MICHAEL WESTON
Student Congress member and two-year president, Doane delegate, intramurals athlete, phonathan coordinator, three-year Quad resident, frequent fan at athletic, musical and theatre events, the list goes on and on and so does this saying even though Michael Weston graduated from Doane nearly 16 years ago.
What everybody doesn't know is that Michael has a secret. He turned his $250 gift to Doane into $1,000, and is now a charter member of the Doane College Society. But before he tells you his seemingly magical secret to increasing his donation, he wants you to know that your time and talent are just as important of gifts.
"Giving is not always with your checkbook. Talk to prospective students or a class. Meet with Admission, Alumni, or Advancement to see if you can help in some way," suggested Michael.
Michael has served two years on the Alumni Council, first as a member and now as the vice president. He also frequently attends networking events. Coupled with his service as a class agent since graduation and internships during college in the Admission and Advancement offices, these experiences have helped Michael understand what he terms as "what's going on under the waterline at Doane."
"It's not about today, it's about tomorrow," said Michael. "In this day and age, let's face it, there's competition. The Doane College Society will help put Doane in a position to remain competitive regionally, in the GPAC and in the future."
It's a future he wants new generations of students to experience at Doane. Where scholarships are available like they were for him. Where memories and friendships last a lifetime (he and his Quadmates' families get together every August.) Where opportunities abound to get involved and take trips (like his three-week interterm to Russia with Bill Gleason). Where new teaching legends are making lasting impressions (for him it was Lowell Dodd, Dick Dudley, Dick Wolters, Ned McPartland and Linda Mann). Where now his classmates - Brad Jenny '93, Tracee (Uldrich) Fairbanks '96 '98E, Ian Brown '92, Pete Fiumefreddo '92, and Matt Franzen '94 - are raising the next generation of student athletes.
"Doane was great while I was there and it's even better now," said Michael, citing the faculty, staff, programs and rankings as why "it's never been a better time to go to Doane."
So, what's his big secret to turning a $250 gift into a $1,000 gift to Doane? Creativity. His employer - State Farm Insurance - has a matching gift program, turning his $250 into $500. Then $500 turned into $1,000 with a $500 State Farm Good Neighbor Grant, awarded for 40 hours of volunteer work for a non-profit.
Even if you don't have opportunities like these at work, Michael wants you to know, "it all matters-$20 or $20,000. It's the gift that counts." A motto he has followed every year, giving whatever he could since graduating in 1993.
He still has his "Everybody knows Michael Weston" Phi Sigma Tau Homecoming T-shirt. It even fits. Although new generations might not understand its meaning, they do understand the impact of Doane.
Michael is married to wife, Christie, and has a five-and-a-half-year old son, Jack and a two-and-a-half-year old daughter, Anna.