Terri and Steve Wilson Are Leaving a Legacy at Whitworth in Gratitude for Lifelong Impact

Terri and Steve Wilson

The most exciting days of Terri and Steve Wilson’s lives happened right at the end of their Whitworth careers: They graduated, got married, and Steve tried out for the Seattle Seahawks—all in three days! In gratitude for their Whitworth educations, the Wilsons are leaving a legacy funded by a bequest and several deferred charitable gift annuities.

“The bequest intention was completed during my tenure on The Whitworth Foundation board of directors,” explains Terri, who currently serves on the university board of trustees. “The mission and vision of Whitworth is in line with where and what we want to give.”

They had previously set up the deferred gift annuities because of the high payment rate.

“We gave them when we were a bit younger; and by deferring the payments, the rate was increased,” Steve explains.

They also recently created their own Foundation—Higher Ground Ministries—to further help students. And they make current gifts to Whitworth, including one to fund a locker in the new Athletics Leadership Center and a gift for the Coaches’ Room in honor of Hugh Campbell—who was Steve’s football coach in the mid ’70s and was at Whitworth for seven years before going on to coach professionally.

“I lived for sports, especially football,” Steve says. “Coach Campbell encouraged a culture of support for all teams and for other things going on around campus: concerts, plays, etc. We were encouraged as a team to participate and support all the other ‘teams’ on campus. Whitworth’s culture has an impact that is lifelong.”

Steve earned a degree in journalism; and after not making it as a kicker with the Seahawks, he became a pastor and still works part-time. He has also officiated sports for 36 years. Terri earned a degree in business and worked in the financial industry for more than three decades. Married for 42 years, they live part of the year in the city of Spokane Valley—where Steve grew up about 15 miles from campus—and the rest of the year in Tucson.

Both have been active volunteers at the university. Terri was on the alumni council in the 1980s and on the search committee for President Emeritus Bill Robinson (1993-2010). She served on the Whitworth Foundation board of directors from 2003 to 2011 and was board president for five of those year before joining the university board. Steve has been part of the Ambassador program.

“Whitworth provides a relationship—with the school, with professors, with staff, and with other students,” Steve says. “The intimacy provided by small class sizes and by professors who care enough to develop relationships outside of the classroom made such an impact on me.

“We hope that the gifts we give become a catalyst to help students have a great experience at Whitworth. One of the cool things about giving to Whitworth is that the university appreciates it and lets us know. We are sought out to come back to see how our gifts are impacting the community. We love that connectivity.”