An anonymous donor will honor an outstanding Emporia State University alumnus with a gift of $100,000 and a challenge to raise additional $100,000 in funds for students in five campus areas.
The gifts will be distributed in the name of Gary Sherrer, now of Broomfield, Colorado, who graduated in 1963 with a bachelor of science degree in education, social science and speech and went on to successful careers in both banking and government.
Sherrer was honored during a bell-ringing ceremony late Saturday morning, Oct. 24, in the Sauder Alumni Center. The event was hosted by Interim President Jackie Vietti and Emporia State Foundation Chair Kim Penner.
“This anonymous donor wanted to credit the legacy Gary Sherrer has left and continues to enhance on behalf of our university,” Vietti said. “The five areas which are near and dear to Gary’s heart now have an opportunity to rally their members to be part of this much-deserved recognition of his efforts.”
The unnamed philanthropist will provide dollar-for-dollar matching funds up to $100,000 for five areas — Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity, Blue Key Honor Society, Hornet Men’s Tennis, the Emporia State Student Foundation and the recently established Future Teacher Mentorship Award. Each area is being asked to raise $20,000 among members and friends to meet the matching funds requirement.
The Future Teacher Mentorship Award established through this matching challenge honors Judith Sherrer. This award is to provide high impact mentorship opportunities for student teachers in their final semester of undergraduate studies.
“This honor is less about me and more about the opportunity to give deserving young men and women the support they need,” said Gary Sherrer. “The donor of this gift shows the character of caring and humility which should inspire us all.”
Justin Rahe, spokesman for one of the groups, said its members appreciated the amazing generosity of the donor and welcomed the opportunities the gift will bring in the future.
“The men of Alpha Kappa Lambda are extremely excited for this opportunity,” Rahe said. “AKL is an Affiliation Kindled for Life, and we value our amazing alumni, especially men like Gary Sherrer, just as much as our active members.”
The challenge will end by graduation in May 2016, with the combined funds being divided among the participating areas, all closely associated with Sherrer.
Throughout his adult life, Sherrer has remained a faithful supporter of Emporia State as a leader and through his financial gifts for scholarships and special projects.
“Many areas at Emporia State have benefited from the impact of Gary Sherrer’s leadership and influence,” said Shane Shivley, vice president of development for the Emporia State Foundation. “It is evident that Emporia State University is a better place because of Sherrer’s involvement.”
Sherrer began his professional career as a public school teacher specializing in speech and debate; later, he developed a successful career in banking before moving on to serve in state government.
Sherrer’s leadership skills blurred political party lines and, in two instances, made history.
In 1996, Sherrer became the first individual ever to be appointed lieutenant governor of Kansas. He served in the position under Republican Gov. Bill Graves, and subsequently was elected to the job in 1998. When his service ended in 2003, Sherrer was the longest-serving lieutenant governor in Kansas history and had been chairman of the National Association of Lieutenant Governors.
Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius appointed Sherrer in 2007 to the Kansas Board of Regents, which he chaired in 2010-11. He served as chair of the Regents’ Academic Affairs Committee and the State University Admissions Task Force and helped to initiate Foresight 2020, a strategic plan for all of higher education in the State of Kansas.
He returned to banking in 2003 as vice president of bank administration for Gold Banc in Shawnee Mission and became Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the Ewing Marian Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2004.
He has served on the Liberty Memorial Board of Governors, the Johnson County Community College Foundation board of directors, was a founding member of the Leadership Kansas program, was involved in leadership training and development for more than 25 years and was the founding chairman of The Midwest Cancer Alliance.
Sherrer received the Carl Perkins Humanitarian Award in 2000 for his contributions to the advancement of career and technical education, and also was recognized with the “Army of Stars” Award from the Salvation Army, the Alpha Kappa Lambda Fraternity National Distinguished Alumni Award and the President’s Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement from Fort Hays State University.
He has received the Emporia State Award of Excellence and also has been honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award.
In 2010, Sherrer established the Judith K. Sherrer Scholarship in honor of his late wife, who died March 31, 2010. Judith Waller Sherrer, who graduated from Emporia State in 1964 with a degree in elementary education, had been a physical education teacher and an English as a Second Language para-professional. The scholarship benefits female student-athletes who participate in any Title IX sport and who are majoring in health, physical education, or recreation.
Sherrer also lent support to the Memorial Union renovation, by funding the Judy Sherrer Conference Room in 2011.
To recognize and honor his outstanding career as the longest-standing lieutenant governor in the State of Kansas, friends and colleagues of Gary Sherrer established the Lieutenant Governor Gary Sherrer Leadership Scholarship in 2002 for freshmen and sophomore students who display leadership qualities.
Sherrer also serves on the National Campaign Committee for Now & Forever: The Campaign for Emporia State University.
“Gary Sherrer has been an exceptional leader and an exceptional supporter of Emporia State University throughout his career,” Shivley said. “We’re delighted Gary’s hard work and dedication to our Hornet Nation will be honored for years to come.”
To learn more about this challenge gift and how you can support one of these five areas in the Now & Forever campaign, contact the Emporia State University Foundation, 620-341-5440.