(Editor's Note: The following is a tribute from an anonymous donor who has made a gift to the Women's Soccer Endowment, honoring Jim and Pam Ash, who established the endowment a year ago. The Ashes' response is printed below.)
A Tribute to Jim and Pam Ash and a Gift to Graceland. "Sometimes an individual's priorities are just plain obvious. When they are both admirable and obvious, it usually exemplifies the principles by which the individual sets priorities. Throw in some passion, and these are individuals who get things done. Such is the case with Pam and Jim Ash. Fortunately, for all those who love "the Hill," the Ashes have continually made Graceland one of their premier priorities. Pam and Jim are extraordinary supporters who contribute precious time, unending effort and generous financial resources to Graceland. The "Alumni Brick Plaza" benefiting scholarships for descendants of alumni, an endowed scholarship fund for the Women's Soccer Program, Jim serving as the "MC" of the air band competition at Homecoming, the numerous Alumni Association initiatives that Pam has contributed while serving on the Alumni Board of Director for now more than 12 years...are only a few examples of the Ashes' gifts of time and treasure. Because of my love for Graceland and my sincere appreciation of the enormous contributions that Pam and Jim have made, I am gifting $25,000 to the Ash Women's Soccer Endowment in their honor." (Jim and Pam are pictured here aboard a Bateau Mouche - an excursion boat - cruising along the river Seine in Paris. They were in Paris supporting our 2006 National Champion SIFE team in their quest for the World Cup Championship. The team finished 2nd in the world.)
(Jim has also been a volunteer instructor for six years in the C.H. Sandage School of Business, and he has been Director of the Entrepreneurial Round Table for several years. Pam started serving on the GU Alumni Board of Directors in 1988. She and Jim were instrumental in getting the Alumni Brick Plaza project going, and continue to champion its expansion.)
Jim and Pam's Response to the Donation Honoring Them. There is no possible way to have one response include all of the emotions that we went through when we read the anonymous donor's letter: shocked, humbled, thrilled, excited, relieved...we wanted to cry and jump for joy at the same time.
Wow! We felt so thrilled and honored when we heard about this gift. To think that what we have done for the school we love so much could inspire someone else to make such a generous gift is really humbling. We support Graceland in part to recognize the positive impact it had on our lives, but more importantly because of the positive impact we see Graceland continue to have on so many young adults.
Each year we see young lives empowered and transformed by the academic challenge, nurturing environment and personal acceptance that are so unique to Graceland. To know that the things we have done have led someone else to make such a sizable gift is truly gratifying, and only serves to encourage us further to do all we can to support Graceland's mission.
To the anonymous donor, all we can say is, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Jim and Pam Ash
