Dr. Jean Houck’s Gift in Honor of Phyllis Mitchell’s 100th Birthday
The College of Education has been the recipient of a generous gift to support student study abroad opportunities. The gift, given by retired College of Education Dean, Dr. Jean Houck was made in honor of the 100th birthday of Phyllis Mitchell, a longtime CED donor.
Mrs. Mitchell, whose connection as a donor with the College of Education stretches back over 20 years, has most recently supported study abroad scholarships for CED students. “The education is the traveling,” shared Mrs. Mitchell. A passionate traveler, Mrs. Mitchell along with Dr. Houck often traveled together visiting places throughout the U.S. and South America where they visited Argentina and Chile. When asked what traveling has taught her Mrs. Mitchell replied, “I could almost say everything. Travel is the best education that you could give a student…” Jean Houck echoes that sentiment saying, “I am a fervent proponent of travel as a powerful way to learn about differences in the way people in different parts of the world live, work, and study.” Firmly dedicated to supporting students in their College experience, Mrs. Mitchell even saved the thank-you cards sent to her by scholarship recipients over the years. Dr. Houck’s gift honors this legacy and commitment to student success.
Providing opportunities for students is equally important for both Dr. Houck and Mrs. Mitchell. In fact, Mrs. Mitchell’s generous contributions as a donor exemplify her firm belief in helping others achieve their college goals. She shared, “From the time I hit high school I wanted to go to college, but I never got to go college. But I did get the dream of helping those in college…”
Donor funding is of critical importance to student success. The College of Education is grateful to Dr. Houck for this generous gift in honor of Mrs. Mitchell’s birthday. The CED also thanks Mrs. Mitchell for her decades of donor support furthering the college experience for hundreds of students over the years. Sharing why donor support is so critical right now, Dr. Houck offered, “Public funding is not sufficient for the university to provide the instruction and resources that the students need...Private funding can be targeted toward the areas of greatest need and dramatically affect university students and their performance in their selected careers. Private funding also makes it possible to move forward with creative ventures designed to bring distinction to the university.”
