Plymouth State University is an educational institution on a mission, committed to educating “tomorrow changers,” students who are equipped to make their mark in an ever-changing, globally connected world.
The University is also determined to accept as many qualified students as possible, regardless of need. A laudable goal, to be sure, but also a daunting challenge, as some 65 percent of the institution’s students face huge financial challenges before they step onto campus: 43 percent of the first-year class are the first in their family to attend college; 39 percent of the student body is from low-income households whose expected family contribution to their child’s education is zero; and 26 percent of students exhaust all their scholarship options and still face a $9,000 per year funding need.
“Our generous donors know that our deserving students need tremendous philanthropic support to be successful,” says Vice President for University Advancement Paula Lee Hobson. Fortunately, Plymouth State has a tremendous advantage in this regard—dedicated supporters who hail from every sector of the University community and understand, implicitly, the rewards of paying it forward.
The generosity and foresight of the following individuals from the Plymouth State family are enabling an increasingly diverse group of students to take the University’s challenge to see how much further they can go.
Susan Kline ’74
Susan Kline is a self-confessed workaholic and a passionate advocate for education. She has lived her beliefs throughout her career, earning a degree in elementary education from Plymouth State, followed by a master’s in educational administration from Eastern Michigan University, with a certificate to teach emotionally disturbed children. She taught special education in Texas and California, then in 1984 took a tremendous entrepreneurial leap and founded the eponymously named Kline School in Costa Mesa, CA, to serve children from kindergarten through eighth grade.
“At Kline School, Susan was teaching in Clusters before Clusters were cool,” observes Hobson. “She embodies the ideal of Plymouth State: to graduate students who are tomorrow changers.”
The University recognized Kline for her accomplishments in 2013, awarding her the Alumni Achievement Award for contributing to her profession, Plymouth State, and the improvement of society. In 2015, Kline closed her school to pursue other opportunities. She remains involved with education, however, serving as a visiting committee chair to evaluate educational programs for the Accrediting Commission of Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Kline has also remained active in Plymouth State’s educational mission since graduating, providing financial support for various initiatives over the years. She has donated to the Sally Boland Scholarship in recognition of the late English professor’s impact on her life—“Dr. Boland’s unassuming style and broad-mindedness influenced me greatly”—and has also made gifts to the Mark Sylvestre Planetarium at the Boyd Science Center and the Fischler Family Endowed Scholarship Fund, a fund established by Michael Fischler.
“The connection I made with Dr. Fischler and other faculty influenced not only my career path, but my character,” Kline observes. “As I look back, their three Rs are the best yet: be Respectful, Responsible, and Responsive.”
Most recently, Kline recognized a new opportunity to amplify her legacy of giving back to Plymouth State, establishing a bequest intent to leave 50 percent of her estate to the University at her passing, a significant gift that she hopes will provide opportunities for a host of future Plymouth State students. “I really feel good about this gift, and I like the way that Plymouth State has advised me of giving opportunities in a sensitive, respectful way over the years. The development staff keeps in touch appropriately—if there’s a funding opportunity they think may be of interest, they let me know.”
Kline’s generous bequest will support unrestricted scholarships at the University, supplementing the Plymouth Opportunity Scholarship created in November of 2017 by PSU Director of Development John Scheinman ’19P and his wife Susan. “Education solves the world’s problems,” says Sheinman. “It’s the greatest gift you can give, and Susan and I wholeheartedly believe that education should be affordable for everyone.” Kline couldn’t agree more. “Supporting unrestricted scholarships is tremendously important to me. Education shouldn’t just be for the rich.”
Susan Kline cites a quote widely attributed to Winston Churchill—“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.”—as a guiding principle for her life. “That is my mantra as well, and I’ve always been happy to give to Plymouth State,” says Kline. “Kline School is no longer in operation, so supporting educational initiatives at the University is a wonderful way for me to continue to serve the kids.”
Kline is certain that her donations will be used wisely. “I’m confident that Plymouth State will be a good steward of my money—the school can take a dollar and really make it work. I think that anyone who’s in a position to make a gift to the University should feel comfortable doing so. Your money will be well managed, and your gift will make a difference in someone’s life.”
Photo Credit: Jesse Sullivan ’20
Dr. Michael Fischler
For 47 years, Mike Fischler taught at Plymouth State in the fields of counselor education, educational leadership, diversity studies, and elementary education, and to hear Fischler tell it, he’s incapable of doing much of anything else. “I think I’ve lost my ability to communicate like a normal human being—that by now, regardless of the setting, I’m most comfortable relating to others as a teacher,” he confesses with an easy laugh, “and I can only hope that others are comfortable as well! To paraphrase Freud, ‘The meaning of life is to love and to work,’ and I’ve gratefully been able to fill both of those needs through my relationships at Plymouth State.”
As Fischler approached retirement, he realized that a major vehicle through which he had provided support and facilitated the growth of others—namely his work at the University—would soon no longer be available. He began speaking with his wife Reine ’79, an artist, about ways in which they could continue to pursue their joint commitment to making a better campus, community, and world. Recalling a serious health scare they experienced with their youngest child, Reine suggested the family create a scholarship to support a Plymouth State student struggling to cope with a chronic or terminal illness. “Thus, the Fischler Family Endowed Scholarship was born,” says Mike. “It is a continuation of a promise made to God some 30 years ago, when our daughter was spared, to support children and families in need, to diminish suffering, and to make a few of their wishes come true.”
“It’s been said that, ‘The meaning of life is to find your gift; the purpose of life is to give it away,’” Reine observes. “Our gift is sharing love and compassion with others, and the family scholarship allows us to do this in a significant way.”
Photo Credit: Ian Halter
Meghan Lang ’17
Meghan Lang is a go-getter who’s all about making her own luck, but she also acknowledges that the education and support she received as a student at Plymouth State have played a pivotal role in her success. A business administration major with a certificate in sales, Lang now works as a healthcare account executive at Gartner.She secured the position in October of her senior year at PSU and asserts that the selling skills she learned in the Professional Sales Program and the leadership skills she cultivated in the Marketing Association of Plymouth State (MAPS) put her ahead of the competition. Her involvement with Compass Consulting, a social media consulting business she launched to promote the University, and Statement, a print shop run by MAPS, were also influential.
As a result, Lang has established a scholarship to help others in marketing, pledging $3,000 a year for the next five years to provide annual $1,000 scholarships to the leaders of MAPS, Compass, and Statement. By leveraging Gartner’s matching program to double the impact, the Granite Guarantee Scholarship, the Women’s Circle of Giving Scholarship for the Women’s Leadership Summit, and the Stadium and Turf Field project will also see funds from her total gift of $30,000 over five years.
“A lot of people think about giving back to their school when they get older, but I believe it’s important to get in the habit as a recent graduate,” Lang asserts. “When you give back as a young alumna, chances are you still know some of the current students benefiting from your donation, making the impact that much greater. I’m certain that my time at Plymouth State gave me a big step up in securing a job right out of college, and I want to help current students get the same experience and benefits that I did.”
Photo Credit: Ian Halter
■ Lori Ferguson
Tags: MAPS Mark Sylvestre Planetarium Meghan Lang Michael L. Fischler Michael L. Fischler Counseling Center Sally Boland Scholarship Susan Kline
