It all started with a slide rule.

In the fall of 1965, during Cheryl Wright’s first week at the 91̽��, she went to Suzzallo Library to complete a chemistry assignment. She needed help with a math problem and saw a boy across the reading room who had a slide rule — an analog calculator. The young pharmacy student who helped her that day was Raymond Wilson. Together the couple, who go by Cherie and Ray, did far more than solve a mathematical equation — they married and formed a bond that’s lasted more than six decades.

Cherie and Ray, both members of the Class of 1969,  went on to have successful academic and professional careers.  Over the years, their connections to the 91̽��have deepened. They have supported scholarships, created alumni communities, built friendships and professional relationships, and cheered for Husky athletics, including the volleyball, basketball and football teams.

Now, the Wilsons have made a bequest of more than $8 million to be shared among the College of Education, the School of Pharmacy and 91̽��Medicine’s BRaIN Laboratory. Bequests allow donors to direct their assets to causes after their death. The bequest brings the Wilsons’ total giving to more than $10 million and they now will be recognized by the 91̽��as Presidential Laureates.

“This remarkable bequest reflects not only Cherie and Ray Wilson’s generosity, but a lifetime of connection to the 91̽��. It represents an enduring relationship grounded in gratitude, trust and a shared belief in the power of education and discovery,” said 91̽��President Robert J. Jones. “From their earliest days as students to this extraordinary commitment, they have invested in people, ideas and communities across our university. Cherie and Ray’s impact will be felt for generations, expanding opportunity for students and advancing research that improves lives.”

After graduating from the UW, both Cherie and Ray attended the University of Kansas, where Cherie earned a master’s degree in early childhood development and Ray earned his doctorate in medicinal chemistry. They both earned medical degrees from the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University, respectively.

Cherie and Ray wanted to return to Washington state and eventually settled near Seattle, where Cherie worked as a pediatrician at Seattle Children’s and in private practice in Bellevue. Ray set up a gastroenterology practice at the Everett Clinic. Their career success enabled them to give back to the community in several ways, including philanthropically, with several gifts supporting the UW. For Ray, who was able to attend the 91̽��thanks to scholarships, supporting students today is a way to pay it forward.

“Our giving is out of gratitude for what the University did for us,” Ray said. “It certainly helped me when I didn’t have a lot of money. It’s a privilege to try and help other students who might be struggling to get through school.”

College of Education

Ray was inspired to create an endowed scholarship fund at the College of Education more than a decade ago to support master’s level teacher training for Native Americans. It was a way to honor his high school baseball and basketball coach, Dan Iyall. Iyall, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, reached legendary status as a pioneer in Washington high school athletics.

Iyall worked for nearly 50 years in education and is a member of the Washington Baseball Hall of Fame. He created the Washington high school baseball championships and is credited with developing a new style of bunting. He coached championship-level teams from four different high schools across Eastern Washington: Coulee City, Deer Park, Oroville and University. He also took a team from Oroville to the Washington State A boys basketball championship.

Wilson said Iyall’s presence reinforced the importance of inclusivity.

“Eventually, I decided we need more people like Dan Iyall,” Wilson said. “We need more teachers like that.”

The bequest will grow the Dan Iyall Native American Support Fund by more than 300%.  Thanks to the fund, more than a dozen Native American fellows have earned their master’s in teaching. Now, the College will be able to award more fellowships each year.

The Wilsons are also creating the Dean Mia Tuan Endowed Professorship, to recognize Tuan’s leadership and long-standing emphasis on authentic, reciprocal community partnerships and culturally informed problem solving. The new endowment will allow the College to recruit and retain faculty specializing in community- and equity-based education.

“Ray and Cherie are extraordinary people whose generosity reflects a deep commitment to strengthening our communities,” Tuan said. “Their gift will support Native students in becoming teachers while helping diversify Washington’s educator workforce. I am also deeply moved that their gift will establish an endowed professorship dedicated to authentic community partnerships and culturally grounded problem solving.”

School of Pharmacy

Several decades after Ray received financial assistance to attend the 91̽��School of Pharmacy, he teamed up with classmates and launched the Class of 1969 Scholarship Fund. Set up in the 2000s, it was the first School of Pharmacy alumni class to create a fund to help students.

“I came from a small town in Eastern Washington with almost no money, and yet, the University provided me with scholarships and completely covered my tuition,” Ray said.

Wendel L. Nelson, a professor and pioneer in medicinal chemistry, recognized Ray’s talents early on and hired him to work in a lab. The research helped Ray advance his career, and the extra money helped pay for food and housing. More than that, the combination of scholarships and laboratory work enabled Ray to graduate debt-free.

With this bequest, the Wilsons’ generosity supports two additional funds in the School of Pharmacy: The Wendel L. Nelson Endowment in Medicinal Chemistry, named for Ray’s mentor, will support graduate students involved in basic laboratory research in medicinal chemistry. The gift also adds to the Nelson-Mendenhall Summer Scholars Program Fund, which brings undergraduates to the 91̽��School of Pharmacy for a 10-week intensive in pharmaceutical sciences.

“From their longstanding financial support to their ongoing participation in School events, to Ray’s past volunteer leadership, Ray and Cherie have already contributed so much to our School of Pharmacy community, and they have done so with a genuine desire to help students and the School thrive,” said School of Pharmacy Dean Jay Panyam. “The Wilsons’ estate commitment is yet another example of their incredible generosity, and I know it will have a significant and lasting impact for our students.”

91̽��Biorepository and Integrated Neuropathology (BRaIN) Laboratory in the 91̽��School of Medicine

The Wilsons’ bequest contributes additional funds to the BRaIN Laboratory, part of 91̽��Medicine’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology.

Researchers at the BRaIN Lab are studying normal brain anatomy and function and how these change in injury and disease, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy .

Cherie and Ray  were introduced to the BRaIN Lab’s groundbreaking research by their former neighbors, Linda and Bob Dahl, whose son, Matthew Dahl, was one of their favorite neighborhood kids. When he died at 24, they were moved to learn about the BRaIN Lab, where Bob and Linda had donated his brain for research and to understand the impact of a childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI). The examination determined that Matt’s childhood TBI had evolved, rather than resolved. The outcome — Matt’s brain showed significant damage — highlighted the importance of such donations and moved the Wilsons to make meaningful philanthropic contributions to the lab.

Cherie said she’s hopeful the BRaIN Lab’s work may lead to treatments that could result in better long-term outcomes for patients.

“Some of these problems are going to be solved,” Cherie said. “Just becoming aware of chronic head injury and the effect on kids is really, really important.”

The BRaIN lab is a global leader in neurological research on many topics, including TBI. With this bequest, the Wilsons support the intersection of pharmaceutical research and brain injury and disease.

“Ray and Cherie’s engagement and generosity will continue to help the BRaIN Lab become a national model for neuropathology research. This generous gift will accelerate our work to better understand the mechanisms of brain injury and disease and to support the development of new strategies for diagnosis, treatment and prevention,” said Dr. Caitlin S. Latimer, director of both the Division of Neuropathology and the BRaIN Lab.

Ballmer Group commits $38 million anchor gift to 91̽�� aligned with additional $5 million for early childhood workforce advocacy and programs to foster leaders of color in the field

The 91̽�� today announced that it is part of a multi-pronged grantmaking strategy from Ballmer Group aimed at drawing more people into careers in early childhood education in our state — including by providing more than 1,500 scholarships over the next eight years.

Ballmer Group is providing a set of gifts totaling more than $43 million to fund scholarships, leadership development and advocacy across multiple organizations, reducing the financial barriers that prevent talent from entering the early childhood workforce. The gifts ensure Washington can successfully implement the Fair Start for Kids Act and build racially diverse leadership in the broader policy field.

The strategy includes a $38 million anchor gift to the 91̽��College of Education; $1.65 million to , an organization that works to elevate diverse leadership across the early childhood policy field; and $4 million to to lead advocacy efforts aimed at improving compensation, well-being and professional development opportunities that improve recruitment, retention and workforce quality.

The grants to 91̽��include support for more than 1,500 scholarships over the next eight years for students pursuing bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and high school internships in early childhood education. These cost-of-attendance scholarships cover tuition and other expenses. The support aims to reduce or remove financial barriers for students pursuing careers in early childhood education while attracting a more diverse workforce to the field. Studies show that diversity among teachers results in better outcomes for all students, and especially those from historically marginalized communities.

“The evidence is clear that early childhood education is a key factor in improving lifelong prospects, health and well-being,” said 91̽��President Ana Mari Cauce. “We are deeply grateful for Ballmer Group’s visionary investment in training the skilled, dedicated early childhood educators whose work makes a lifetime of positive impact for children, families and communities.”

Removing barriers to attaining degrees in early childhood education will help address the shortage of credentialed teachers, coaches and other early childhood professionals in the state. Too often, a student’s financial hardship prevents them from earning degrees; and these Ballmer Group gifts will help more than 1,200 students attain degrees without going into debt.

“Research shows that a child’s earliest years are the most important period of development in their life, yet early childhood education is among the lowest-paid careers in the United States. That dynamic does not make sense if we want the best for our kids and the great people who care for them,” said Connie Ballmer, Ballmer Group co-founder. “Our approach with these investments is to tackle the challenges facing the early childhood workforce on multiple fronts: through the direct development of diverse talent at the UW, the increased representation of BIPOC policy leaders via Pathwaves, and important state-level advocacy for policy and public investment into the early childhood workforce via Child Care Aware.”

Steve and Connie Ballmer have a history of giving catalytic gifts to the 91̽��that are focused on improved health and well-being. In 2021, they gave a $38 million landmark gift to 91̽��School of Social Work and 91̽��Medicine that aims to increase the pipeline of well-trained professionals in behavioral health across Washington state via student scholarships and specialized program support. Other gifts have supported 91̽��Medicine’s COVID-19 response efforts; the creation of the Excellence in Social Impact Endowed Scholarship Fund for undergraduate and graduate students in the 91̽��School of Social Work; as well as gifts to support the provost, the 91̽��School of Public Health and more.

“Without intentional work to remove barriers for students and professionals of color, the workforce will lose valuable racial diversity in the field,” said Mia Tuan, dean of the 91̽��College of Education. “The early childhood field has a historically underpaid workforce, contributing to racial and gender inequity in economic mobility for the people tasked with the healthy development of children in a critical period of growth and for the working families that rely on child care to maintain their own employment. These gifts help us to begin to make systemic changes.”

More work is required to increase the number of people entering early childhood education and bolster the number of people of color teaching in the field. The Washington legislature can this session continue investments in the Fair Start for Kids Act by increasing reimbursement rates for licensed child care programs. At the same time, officials in Washington are working to establish an affordable child care system that anchors how child care is funded to the true costs of care, including living wages and benefits. An of compensation for early childhood education careers in Washington demonstrates the need to increase wages to achieve parity with other teaching professions.

“Access to child care is fundamentally tied to a thriving workforce and benefits healthy child development and family economic security,” said Deeann Burtch Puffert, CEO of Child Care Aware of Washington. “This investment in the early childhood education workforce can finally move the needle toward improving child care workforce compensation and provide professional development opportunities that improve recruitment, retention and quality.”

“Communities of color are historically the communities most impacted by policy decisions, yet policy leaders often lack direct connection, understanding and accountability to those communities,” said LaToya Holmes-Ware, co-executive director of Pathwaves WA. “This investment in Pathwaves’ model of elevating collective, racially diverse leadership is a critical component of long-term system change for early childhood in Washington.”

Additionally, the 91̽��will leverage existing relationships with Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Promise program to provide an early pathway entry for students from communities that traditionally are excluded from higher education to the profession and provide much-needed additional capacity to early childhood education programs.

The gifts from Ballmer Group to the 91̽�� specifically include:

• 80 high school internships (10 per year) connected to My Brother’s Teacher at Cultivate Learning, a program in the Seattle Public Schools focused on increasing the number of male Black and brown early childhood education teachers.
• 1,200 undergraduate scholarships serving at least 600 students in the final two years of their college careers. Creating opportunities for bachelor’s degrees will help Washington meet current and impending supply needs and mitigate loss of teachers of color from the field.
• 115 scholarships for a Master’s in Early Childhood Education Policy, part of UW’s new . The 91̽��already is working with four other institutions as part of the .
• 230 Early Childhood Coaching Certificate scholarships. Increasing the number of coaches in early childhood education is part of a quality improvement effort in Washington state. The coaching certificate creates a professional pathway to higher compensation and adds needed workforce.
• Additional funding will help support alignment from early learning into K-12 systems, two endowed doctoral fellowships, two endowed professorships and a full-time staff person to focus on recruiting and retaining students of color.

“We still have a need for well-trained, racially diverse early childhood professionals for positive outcomes for children growing up now,” Tuan said. “Funding scholarships thanks to Ballmer Group will remove barriers to accessing postsecondary education and remove potential debt people accrue if pursuing this path, which can be a significant deterrent to entry, particularly for students of color.”