爱 can mean many things – a passionate emotion; a thing or person of affection; and 网球比赛中平分秋色.
Sit down with 肯和贝丝·理查兹 and it is hard not see love woven into their life as a couple and into their philanthropic passions at UNC – tennis, theatre and the students who take the court and center stage each season.
Start with 肯, a career heart surgeon and life-long tennis player. 然后见见贝丝， his lively wife and enthusiastic theatre patron.
Their story, like all stories, begins with how they met.
“It was a football game,” Beth smiles as 肯 begins to share the story. 我和 my fraternity brothers, she with her sorority sisters. 天在下雨，她在那里 穿着裙子露出来……”
Beth interrupts and corrects 肯, “it was a jean skirt!当肯继续说下去时，他们笑了.
肯 and Beth were both undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Kansas attending a home football game in Lawrence.
“We made plans to 满足 after the game, it was a Kansas versus Nebraska game, and [Beth] was there with some of her family who were from Nebraska.”
Nebraska won that day, but it didn’t matter much, 肯 had met Beth and that was the 他们浪漫的开始.
As an undergraduate, 肯 was enrolled in ROTC, which meant that his and Beth’s life would be a series of moves and relocation based on military assignment. 他们让 eight moves together during 肯’s 24-year career as a military surgeon.
Throughout that time, tennis was a constant for 肯.
“我从8岁开始玩，”肯分享道. “I took a break to play other sports, but in high school my father’s tennis partner needed someone to play for the school team, 所以我父亲自愿请我来.”
肯 has been playing ever since; following in the steps of his father, both in military 对游戏的服务和热爱. The father-son sports connection was part of the inspiration that led the couple to later establish the Richards Men’s Tennis Fund, named after 肯的父亲马克斯·理查兹.
(Above: 玛丽·迪格斯和马克斯·理查兹, family inspiration for the Marie H. digg的纪念 Scholarship and Richards Men's Tennis Fund)
And while 肯’s life may have been a volley between military assignments, Beth’s background was deeply rooted in one place – Greeley, Colo. 贝丝在格里利长大 to high school in the city and her grandmother had even attended UNC in the late 1930’s and early 40’s when the institution was named the Colorado State College of Education. It was after Beth’s grandmother that the Marie H. 迪格斯纪念奖学金被授予， established to support the education of nontraditional female students, as Beth’s 祖母一直在.
When it came time for 肯’s retirement from military service, these family roots pulled 肯和贝丝回北科罗拉多.
After two decades of living the life of relocation, the Richards decided to make their 最后搬到格里利. Beth’s mother still lived in the city and 肯 had the opportunity to begin a civilian career as a surgeon with Northern Colorado Medical Center. 一次 settled, the couple began exploring their community involvement and they soon found 他们在皇冠app官方版下载的兴趣所在.
“I look for a place to make a difference,” shares 肯. 理查兹一家谦恭地谈起 their philanthropic involvement, but like many donors their support is instrumental in helping current UNC students pursue educational passions and career aspirations.
Each year, these 奖学金 recipients send their stories and notes of gratitude to the Richards, and it is clear the affection students have for 肯 and Beth.
“I have loved getting to know you over the past three years. 你有一个很棒的 对戏剧的热爱和欣赏. In a career path that is not always taken seriously, it has been so great knowing you are in my corner.”
“Your funding is a catalyst in this building of Bears tennis, and will continue to 在未来的岁月里帮助我们. Your support is greatly appreciated; we love you Dr. 肯. 希望今年春天能再见到你.”
“At the age of 33, I have decided, in spite of my fear and finances, to finish my schooling and graduate with a degree in Elementary Education. 我很高兴 a student at UNC, although the work is difficult, I am gaining insight and knowledge to impart on my future students…Beth Richard, I thank you again for such a generous 奖学金.”
Of course the expression of gratitude isn’t what drives the Richards to give, but it is clear that their love for UNC is played out in the lives of students that they 满足.
Thank you to 肯和贝丝·理查兹, and to the entire university donor community, for their love and support for the students, faculty and programs of UNC.
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It has been fifteen years since the Richards made Greeley their home and their love 皇冠app官方版下载继续蓬勃发展. 肯 and Beth are now planning for 肯’s second retirement from private practice, which should free up more time for 肯 to play a practice match and for Beth to continue supporting UNC arts. 但在那之前，这对夫妇会花 their Valentine’s Day on an Antarctic boat expedition. 我们希望他们爱每一个 时刻.
