Investing in student-athletes at K-State

Jack Wiley hasn't missed a K-State home football game since 1989. "I have always been a huge K-State fan and supporter," he says.

Neither Jack, nor his wife, Nita, graduated from K-State. Jack attended for two years before returning to Hutchinson, Kansas, to help with the family business and Nita took several graduate-level classes in academic advising.

Jack and Nita graduated from high school together in Hutchinson but did not get to know one another until a friend reconnected them in the early 2000s. At the time, Jack lived in Manhattan and traveled for his work in sales. Nita taught physical education and coached at Salina Central High School and Cottonwood Elementary School an hour west of the K-State campus.

The Wileys share a love for K-State's people and the place. Together, they created a planned gift to provide K-State student-athletes with academic support and scholarships. Nita works with K-State student-athletes as an academic team mentor and study hall supervisor and appreciates the opportunity to encourage and support them now and in the future.

"Many walk-on players leave because they need to go where they get some kind of financial aid," Nita says.

Jack and Nita want to make sure players who pay their way get a chance to stay at K-State where they want to be. They created funds for scholarships and a student-athlete support fund to assist the Academic Success Center and hope it will help more student-athletes stay at Kansas State University.

They hope other K-State alumni, friends and fans will see what they have done and think, "Yes, I can do this, too."

Are you interested in supporting K-State student-athletes in your will or estate plan? Contact your Gift Planning team at 785-775-2000 or giftoptions@ksufoundation.org.