Late wife’s giving spirit inspires creation of completion grant

Sue RichterSue Richter was passionate about tending to her flower garden, enjoying a bowl of ice cream and helping others. Her giving spirit is being carried on through a scholarship established by her husband to benefit College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students at Iowa State University.

A couple of years ago, Tim Richter, a former CALS Ag Endowment Board of Trustees member and president, was sitting in a board of trustees meeting. During this gathering, David Acker, CALS associate dean for global engagement, spoke about the cost of college and how some students cannot complete their degrees due to financial hardships. Acker’s statements caught Richter off guard and inspired him to do something about it.

“If I hadn’t been at that board meeting, you wouldn’t have this grant,” Richter said.

In its first year, the Sue Richter Agricultural Completion Grant benefited five CALS students. To show their gratitude and the impact the scholarship will have on them, the students each wrote a thank you letter to Richter. One of those letters included this statement:

“I am so grateful for the Sue Richter Agricultural Completion Grant because it is relieving my financial burden and is allowing me to finish out my time at Iowa State University. Your assistance and support is so much appreciated.”

“After reading the thank you letters from the students, I can tell we’re doing a really good thing, and those students are really thankful for the scholarship,” Richter said. “We’re making it possible for students to reach their goal of finishing their degree.”

Sue Richter grew up on a dairy farm in southeast Minnesota. For many years, she worked at a medical clinic in Lime Springs, Iowa, where she was the first person people saw when they walked in. She kept in touch with patients and often bought gas cards for them to use when further treatment was required outside of the services provided at the clinic.

Richter said Sue would be pleased to know her family, which includes their daughter and son, are continuing her legacy of giving.

“When you can help people, that’s a pretty great feeling,” Richter said. “If we’re a reflection of her through this grant, she would be happy.”

Carmen Bain, CALS associate dean for academic innovation and executive director of the Ag Endowment Board, said this grant is just one example of how the Agricultural Endowment helps CALS students succeed.

“We are so incredibly grateful for Tim’s generosity in establishing this gift. It very much aligns with the Ag Endowment Board’s mission – to provide resources and support to CALS students,” Bain said. “We hope his gift becomes an inspiration not only to other potential donors, but to students who are facing hardships. We hope these students are encouraged to seek assistance when needed so we can do what we can to help them finish their degree.”