Testimonials
“It’s all about getting young kids the chance to go to college,” said Dick.
Dick and Marge Wilder
By JUSTIN R. LESSMAN – They were there when Northwest College was born and they haven’t left its side since.
Dick and Marge Wilder of Cody, both members of the inaugural class of the University of Wyoming Northwest Center – later renamed Northwest College – have always held a special place in their hearts for the school. It was Dick’s first step toward a long and successful career in pharmacy and an important part of Marge’s formation as a strong, independent woman and loving wife and mother. They were students then; they are active alumni now.
Dick, a Powell native, and Marge, about as close to a Powell native as one can get, met as youngsters in the Powell school system. After Dick’s service in World War II, the two were married and enrolled in the very first classes at NWC. Nearly 60 years later, the two are still roaming the halls of Northwest College, watching over the school they love with the eyes of a concerned parent, helping to support it any way they can and encouraging others to take advantage of the quality education offered in Powell.
The couple has established an endowed scholarship pledged through the Toward New Vistas campaign. Their gift will be matched by the state of Wyoming and will provide financial support for the students, leaving a legacy for the future. Dick and Marge were here in the beginning and because of their forward thinking will have a presen at Northwest College forever.
“I remember that people, including my family, helped me out,” Clay said. “And now, I want to do something
to help other students out.”
Clay and Lynne Cummins
By JUSTIN R. LESSMAN – Clay and Lynne Cummins aren’t ones to let a good deed go unnoticed.
Years ago, when Clay left home on his first venture to college after graduating from high school, his dad co-signed an $80 loan to bail the youngster out of some financial hardships until the summer-work paycheck cleared. Several years later at Northwest College, the budding business major was awarded a scholarship that helped to solidify a shaky financial situation and propel the young man onto a successful and prosperous life.
Nearly a half-century later, Clay and Lynne Cummins decided it was time to repay those debts. And then some.
Clay, a 1961 graduate of Northwest, currently sits on the NWC Foundation board and serves as president of Northwest’s alumni association board. The Cummins, who reside in Billings, Mont., recently made a $50,000 donation to Northwest College Foundation’s general scholarship endowment. Their contribution also qualifies as a Toward New Vistas fundraising campaign gift to the NWC Foundation, meaning the State of Wyoming will match their donation to the college dollar-for-dollar.