Scholarship Spotlight: Wildern Family Endowed Merit Scholarship
Written by Doug Goodnough
Editor’s Note: From time to time, we will profile a Hillsdale College endowed scholarship with an alumni connection.
John Wildern, ’99, eagerly awaits his letter from Hillsdale College each year.
It’s not a letter inviting him to a College event or activity. The letter is a handwritten note from a student recipient of the College’s Wildern Family Endowed Merit Scholarship, which his family established in 2008.
“Each year, I receive a very nice handwritten thank-you note from the recipient with a biography and an update of their academic progress,” he said. “There’s this tremendous satisfaction in receiving the annual letter that shows the progress of the recipient.”
In fact, Wildern keeps a folder of the letters he receives as well as other information about the scholarship. He and his family have also built relationships with some of the student recipients.
“I’ve met a number of them. Some have been student-athletes,” Wildern said. “We’ve kept in touch and have seen how they have progressed in school. There’s a network effect, I think, of keeping your relationship with the College alive and engaged. Just being able to see these young men and women prosper is a satisfying exercise.”
Wildern said his father, William J. Wildern, worked in the College’s Gift and Estate Planning Office and mentioned the idea of endowing a scholarship with John.
“We wanted something that would provide for a student who had a financial need,” said Wildern, who earned a degree in finance/economics. “We wanted to open it up to students who were finance or economics majors, met the criteria, and could benefit from it.”
He said working with the College on establishing the scholarship was rewarding. The Wildern Family Endowed Merit Scholarship annually assists qualified students who embody a commitment to academic excellence, have exceptional character, and will promote free enterprise and individual liberty.
“It means a lot to our family,” he said. “You’re aligning your values and your legacy with an institution you believe in. I was a beneficiary of getting financial assistance from the College, and this was an opportunity to pay it forward.”
Wildern is the president of the Life Advisor Group in Carmel, Indiana, and has been in financial advising for more than 20 years. He said alumni who are interested in establishing a similar scholarship should not hesitate to begin the process.
“Appreciated assets are an outstanding way to make a donation to the school and start an endowed scholarship because there are multiple tax benefits that come along with that,” he said. “I recommend that anyone interested in giving back to the College reach out to Hillsdale’s Executive Director of Alumni Relations Colleen McGinness and start inquiring about what is possible.”
Wildern said the College also provides regular updates on the status of the scholarship.
“The College keeps you apprised of the gift you’ve given to the school,” he said. “You can see the value of the scholarship fund increase over time. To see the tangible impact you’re having on these kids’ lives is a wonderful feeling.
“I think endowed scholarships are outstanding as a legacy piece. The joy you get from seeing these monetary gifts come to life, in terms of actual human relationships with these students, is very rewarding. I encourage anyone who is considering it to reach out to the College and have a conversation about it. Even if you start small, every dollar counts.”
To learn more about endowed scholarships or gift and estate planning options at Hillsdale College, please contact McGinness at [email protected] or (517) 607-2304.
Doug Goodnough, ’90, is Hillsdale’s director of Alumni Marketing. He enjoys connecting with fellow alumni in new and wonderful ways.
Published in December 2023