Bill White Endowed Scholarship for single mothers in nursing established

The family of the late Bill White recently visited campus to honor and remember a beloved member of the CSU family. The family presented the school with a $100,000 check from White’s estate to establish the William G. White Sr. Endowed Scholarship for single mothers who aspire to pursue a degree in nursing. 

White, no stranger to CSU, served on the Board of Visitors for many years and was a member of the Legacy Society. His love for CSU started back when Dr. John Hamrick was president, and as Bill Ward, emeritus vice president for development, put it, White’s love for CSU “all started with some tires.” At the time, there was an old, broken-down tractor with the tires rotting off sitting in the front of the school. White would drive by daily and wonder why the tractor was still there. 

He eventually called Hamrick and realized the school did not have the funds to fix the tires and move the tractor. White, owner of Oakbrook Firestone, decided to help out by paying to replace the tires and getting someone to repair the mechanical issues. 

As time went on, White became more involved with CSU as a dear friend of President Jairy Hunter. Hunter said, “He deeply cared about the things that really mattered in life, like his faith in Jesus Christ, and because of this he was passionate about Christ-centered education, like CSU offers.” As his son, William White Jr., said, “He was [the] number one ambassador for CSU; he truly loved this school.”

Along with his commitment to CSU, White had a vision for impacting the medical community nationwide, and he wanted to leave a legacy that would impact people for generations to come. He contributed funds to the CSU Health Science Building.

After hearing a heartwarming story about how one of his friends was able to help a single mother struggling to pursue her passion for nursing and make ends meet, he was inspired to help more single parents. That is when he decided to start planning his legacy, by establishing this new endowment in his estate. 

White was characterized by Hunter, and many others, by his love for his family, his dedication to his friends, and his unwavering faith. Hunter said it best, “Mr. Bill White was one good man. We are so thankful for the legacy he will have on CSU students for years to come.”

White’s legacy at CSU also includes CSU alumni: grandson, Blakely C. Hunt ’13 and his wife, Tuesday Hunt ’08, and a granddaughter, Madelyn White, a current senior majoring in communication studies. Madelyn’s grandmother, Faye Winter ’70, also attended the luncheon.

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