Building on a Lifetime of Giving Back

Perry Pascarella always knew it was important to go to college, even though, as the first in his family to do so, he admits he couldn't articulate why. But he knew it mattered. His decision to attend Kenyon was made that much easier when he was offered a scholarship. A member of the Class of 1956, he remembers being introduced to new concepts and people that shaped his future. "I mark it as the beginning of my life," Perry says.

After he graduated, as soon as he was able, he began to give back what he could to Kenyon. He knew it mattered. "I came out of school feeling grateful," he says.

"I've never been able to give a big amount, money has not been my driving motivation, it's just a very easy way to channel my appreciation," Perry says.

Perry has made a gift to the College every year since the early 1960s, putting him in the esteemed company of the late Henry J. Abraham '48 H'72 P'79,'84 who made a gift to the College's annual fund every year since 1955 until his death last year, and for whom our loyal giving society is named.

Now that Perry and wife, Carol’s, two daughters are grown and successful in their own right, Perry decided to make a permanent investment in the College that invested in him by including Kenyon in his estate plan.

"Kenyon picked me up and I learned a lot there that wasn't all in the classroom. I remember my first dinner there and we had a full meal and dessert and all that. The next morning at breakfast, I thought there might be dessert again. I was so uncultured, everything about it was just totally new," Perry says.

Although he jokes that his English degree was the wrong choice over Philosophy, after three years in the Navy, Perry went on to a successful career in business magazine publishing, including IndustryWeek. He also published seven books on leadership and management.

As he considered his estate plan, Perry liked the idea of investing in tomorrow's students and was drawn to the William E. Lowry '56 Endowed Scholarship created last year in honor of his classmate and designed to bring more underrepresented students to Kenyon.

Perry remembers the eventually successful efforts of Lowry's Beta Theta Pi fraternity brothers to initiate him over the objections of the national organization on the basis of his race. Reflecting on his own similar efforts as the president of the now inactive Sigma Pi, Perry wanted to do something to show his admiration for Lowry, who was just the fifth Black person to graduate from Kenyon.

After a lifetime of modest gifts to Kenyon, Perry is pleased that his estate plan will allow him to make a big investment in tomorrow's students in the same way Kenyon invested in him almost seven decades ago.

Just like Perry, you too can invest in the future of Kenyon students. To learn more about ways you can make a difference contact Kate Daleiden, at 740-427-5729 or plannedgiving@kenyon.edu.