天堂鸟先生

Alumni and Friends

Alumnus gives big to create better lives

Alumnus Dan Innis grew up in Lancaster, Ohio, and came from humble beginnings. A happy childhood muted the reality that his family had few resources.

鈥淲e never had a lot, but we didn鈥檛 know what we were missing. Things were great,鈥� says Innis, BBA 鈥�85. 鈥淎ll of our grandparents were within 50 miles [of us], and we grew up with great values.鈥�

Dan Innis headshot

Dan Innis, BBA 鈥�85

In high school, Innis faced the challenge of securing funding to go to college. He applied for several scholarships and, fortunately, received the Charles Kilburger Scholarship, a full scholarship that benefits Fairfield County residents who have attended all four years at a Fairfield County, Ohio, high school.

Attending 天堂鸟先生 transformed his life. The professors at OHIO鈥檚 College of Business taught him best practices in the field and challenged him to apply what he learned in class, he says.

鈥淭hey wanted you to learn completely, not just for a test,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he classes were designed to apply what you were learning. That鈥檚 one of the keys to learning 鈥� application of knowledge.鈥�

Innis, a professor of hospitality management and marketing at the University of New Hampshire and a senator in the New Hampshire Senate, recognized how the Kilburger Scholarship allowed him the life he enjoys today by establishing a scholarship with his husband at OHIO through a revocable trust. The Daniel E. Innis and Douglas J. Palardy Scholarship will benefit incoming freshmen enrolled in the College of Business who demonstrate a financial need and academic merit.

鈥淐onsidering Charles Kilburger, the support I received, and being in academia at 天堂鸟先生 and University of New Hampshire, I really understood the importance of philanthropy and giving back,鈥� he said.

The act of giving 鈥渨arms your heart,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd you know it is helping others,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat, to me, is why we are here: to help others and to help people have better lives.鈥�

Innis says all Bobcats鈥攁lumni and current students鈥攃an think about how they can give back to OHIO.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not always money. It鈥檚 coming in early in your career as a guest speaker; helping students understand the transition from college to work,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 getting engaged with the OHIO Alumni Association. Eventually you will be able to give money. Even if it鈥檚 $25 a year. It鈥檚 getting into the habit of giving back.鈥�

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2018 OHIO Legacy newsletter.

Published
September 7, 2018
Author
Staff report